


Lost on Remnant

by BazAzul



Category: RWBY
Genre: Original Character-centric
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-30
Updated: 2018-12-25
Packaged: 2019-09-02 20:27:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 26,595
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16794148
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BazAzul/pseuds/BazAzul
Summary: William of Earth stepped through a door into the fictional world of Remnant. How will he survive in a world of monsters and superhumans? Find out as Will forms his own original team on Remnant and how they react when they discover their world is based on a fictional story. Finally, discover how they learn of their role in canon and defending the world of Remnant. (OC, Team RWBY, Team JNPR) Adventure, Romance. Rated M for Mature Themes and Language.





	1. Chapter 1

#  **Prologue - The Tale of Little Red Riding Hood**

A broken moon hung high in the sky. Snow slowly descending upon a small girl in a black corseted dress and red billowing cloak. Her breath could be seen against the cold frigid air of winter. She stood gazing at a small tombstone at the edge of a steep cliff. Engraved upon the white tombstone was a flaming rose, a crest that marked a Huntress' grave.

Ruby Rose glanced upon the engraved letters, wordlessly speaking what was written.

"Summer Rose, Thus Kindly I Scatter".

A small tear budded from her stunning silver eyes. Before she spoke up in a cheer filled voice. "Hey, mom… I've come to see you. Last time we spoke it was my fourteenth birthday, it's now January, a new year! I've got a lot to tell you."

Her voiced caught as she imagined her mother intently watching, nodding in her white hooded cloak. "Schools going great, I'm sure you remember... I mean, I've made so many friends now. Of course… I also finished my partner."

She slowly reached behind her billowing red cloak and caressed her partner upon the small of her back. Before continuing in a soft voice. "Her name is Crescent Rose! And she will be my partner in slaying the Grimm! Uncle Qrow has been teaching me how to use her, he says I've gotten really good."

She paused as she imagined her mother make a small giggle. Before once more continuing on. "Umm… it'll not be long before Yang finishes at Signal. She's thinking of applying to Beacon. Where you also used to go. I'm sure you'd be proud of her."

Ruby smiled to herself. Feeling the warmth in her chest, she was proud of her sister. However, a little darkness also bloomed where she felt that heat.

"I wish I could go with her… I mean, I know I'm only fourteen... but, going to Beacon and becoming a Huntress has always been my dream. She only wants to go cause she's following her whims, it's unfair when I work so hard and yet now she's graduating… she's leaving me behind."

Ruby could feel tears begin to swell in her eyes once more. She then quickly rubbed them as to not make the ghost of her mother upset.

"Sorry I was being selfish... She's worked hard at Signal, she's gotten good grades, top of her class in combat practice... She deserves to go."

She looked upwards from beyond her hood, staring out over the sheer cliff, towards the shattered satellite and stars. She suddenly closed her eyes as she made her vow. "It'll be two more years before I get my chance. You'll see, I'll become the world's greatest Huntress."

She raised her fist to her heart swearing upon this vow in front of her mother's tombstone. When she suddenly opened her beautiful silver eyes a bright white light streamed across the sky.

A shooting star.

She whispered to no one in particular. "Even still, I wish I could go to Beacon this year. Somehow…"

Ruby cast her gaze across her mother's tombstone and smiled to herself.

"Thanks for listening, mom. I have to get back. Dad's probably wondering how long I'll be."

Suddenly her small smile turned to a thin line, quietly she spoke to the ghost of her mother in a lonely voice.

"Bye mom, I miss you."

Ruby Rose turned away from her mother's tombstone and began to gracefully walk upon the settled snow. Petals of red like that of a wilting rose drifted out from behind her red cloak, a single tear fell from her silver eyes beneath the hood. And a single rose petal rested upon the Huntress' grave.

Walking back towards the tree line, she passed through the gnarled snow covered trees. A black crow passed overhead as if watching out for her.

It was when she came to a large opening in the forest that she encountered those monsters. Tall, black as pitch and made of the stuff of nightmares. Taking on the strange form of bipedal wolves. They began to surround her on all sides, watching intently as their toothy maws dripped with a viscous substance that could only be saliva. Ruby stood there watching with beaded tear-filled eyes from beneath her hood.

Beowolves…

Drawn by the sadness and lonely feelings of Ruby, the monsters made of darkness shifted with blinding speed towards her, charging, hoping to fill their maws with the flesh of this young small girl.

A cute smile graced her soft pink lips as the Beowolves leapt at the seemingly vulnerable girl. As soon as they made contact with her small frail body, she burst into a cloud red petals.

The dark beasts confused by this crashed into the frozen ground kicking up a cloud of snow. They began to search for their prey among the flurry of snow and rose petals. When suddenly from above, against the backdrop of the broken moon and descending from up in the sky was that same small girl in the red cloak.

Petals of red filled the sky like stars as she contorted her body up high in the air. Her hood fell away revealing short black hair with red tips, pale youthful skin tinged with pink and piercing, determined silver eyes.

Once again she contorted her body, pulling from behind her cloak the thing she called her partner. Its gleaming red metal mecha-shifted into the form of a gun.

A shot thundered through the crisp, cold air.

One of the Beowolves head’s exploded in black gore covering the snow beneath it. It limply fell to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. The rest of its pack immediately fell into action and charged as Ruby landed gracefully to the ground.

A Beowolf dived at her feet as she somersaulted over it, planting the gun barrel against its head and pulling the trigger.

Black gore followed.

She righted herself in mid-air following another attack with her partner. Another thunderous crack and another Beowolf felled blowing away half its torso. The recoil caused her to flip and roll into the path of another black beast, another shot followed blowing it away.

As the strong recoil pushed her, she rolled on her back away from the fray. At a good distance, she then flipped the switch on her partner and the red gleaming metal once more began to mecha-shift.

Ruby spun the weapon behind her as the stock extended into a long pole with a sharp point, the housing also extended and then swung outwards followed by large silvered blades extending outwards like a scythe. What was once a gun had now turned into an incredibly large and unwieldy red scythe. She slammed Crescent Rose's sharp tip into the frozen ground and jauntily posed with a flourish.

The first of the Beowolves made its move, dashing into close combat. She swung her large, unwieldy scythe in such a fashion it almost looked effortless. The blade swung downwards resting softly on the creatures head, however, the heavy weight of the weapon had caused it to pause and stumble. As the large red scythe rested upon the shoulders of the monster it almost gave a toothy smile towards Ruby. Its jaws began to open wide showing off its sharp and deadly teeth.

She looked on and whispered under her breath with a smile. "My, what big teeth you have." Before her smile stretched into a cheeky grin as if knowing what would happen next.

Suddenly pulling the trigger, a deafening roar sounded, the bullet shot from the barrel and the recoil triggering Ruby's next attack. She pulled with the recoil and the body of the monster was cleanly sheared in half from shoulder to waist. The large, heavy black body was flung high into the air as petals of red danced in its wake.

Ruby down to one knee in a stylish flourish of skill rose up and spun the large red scythe-gun in an arc once, twice and thrice before planting it into the frozen ground once more. She cocked a bullet casing from its chamber and trained her sights upon the rest of the monsters in front of her.

They began their relentless charge as the Ruby fired thunderous shot after shot. Each bullet blowing the monsters away into a cloud of black ichor and red petals. As they began to close in she smiled once more.

The closest Beowolf had managed to get into striking range and it slashed at Ruby's dainty little legs. She jumped upwards dodging the slash as her black skirt with red frills hiked up around her waist not quite revealing what lay beneath. She pulled the trigger once more in mid-air and the recoil pushed her back as another bullet exploded the Beowolf before her.

Flinging her backwards some meters by the force of the recoil she swiftly buried the tip of her scythe-gun into the frozen ground, catching herself from flying back any more. She skidded then deftly landed upon Crescent Rose like that of a veteran acrobat.

She watched as the black wolves called for more of their kin, their guttural howls piercing the cold winter air. A second later, more Beowolves rushed from out of the snow-covered forest and into the clearing.

The pack attacked her once more when she began flipping like an acrobat upon her buried scythe-gun. She kicked the Beowolf closest in its mask and was once more swinging till her feet caught upon the back edge of her Crescent Rose. She pulled the trigger firing into another oncoming monster blowing it away. The recoil dislodged her weapon causing her to flip rapidly through the air.

Her feet connecting with another Beowolf softened her landing while sending the opposing monster crashing towards the snow covered ground. She then rotated her scythe-gun with impossible speeds like a buzzsaw as one Beowolf came in close and subsequently had its legs sheared off.

Hastily getting to its feet the other Beowolf leapt at Ruby who had kicked it to the ground. However, it was subsequently bisected in half by the rotating blade of Crescent Rose. Each rotation of the huge red scythe-gun was aided by the recoil thus making it spin faster and faster till it became nothing more than a whirlwind of death.

Suddenly another Beowolf came in close. Ruby instantly stopped the rotating heavy blade as if defying physics and slammed the scythe behind the creatures head. She pulled the trigger and with the aid of the recoil she decapitated it in one swift movement.

More Beowolves began to close in on Ruby, she gracefully turned her body to the side as sharp white claws came raining from above. She then spun Crescent Rose to its side trapping it from behind with the sharp blade to its back. Another Beowolf ended up in her line of sight, she smiled confidently as she pulled the trigger.

The recoil caused the scythe-gun to slice the beast in half while the bullet blew one more monster away. The creatures massive frame that was cut in half flew high into the sky and arced into another of its pack mates knocking them over.

Two more Beowolves came towards her. Both slashing at her flanks, she deftly dodged both strikes flipping like an acrobat. Ruby instantly changed momentum forward, slashing at the closest monster. She cut its arms and legs leaving only its head and torso intact.

The next victim came forward and she smashed the reaping blade across its shoulders. It jerked under the massive weight upon its shoulders as the small girl rolled beneath it. She then leapt upwards upon its shoulders swinging the blade to beneath its neck and pulled upwards to throttle the creature. She stood upon its back and again smiled with soft joy as she pulled the trigger decapitating the massive black beast.

The recoil sent her upwards high into the sky as she surveyed the carnage of the battlefield. Her silver eyes spotted the slowly smoking, decaying remains of those she slew. Next, she confirmed the remaining number of Beowolves in the field of snow.

The Beowolves were not idle, they leapt at their prey in the sky. Ruby swung Crescent Rose and rotated like a buzzsaw cutting another Beowolf down. She then fired the gun causing her to fly through the air once more, then slashed at another great black beast.

Perhaps a momentary lapse in judgement as she misjudged her timing, she brought up the guard of Crescent Rose as sharp claws came careening towards her small body. The claws glanced off of her partner in a shower of sparks sending her flying backwards some tens of meters.

The strength of Beowolves was no laughing matter.

As she buried the blade in the snow to slow herself she once more gauged the situation. She counted upwards of two dozen creatures left.

"These Grimm just never give up… no matter how many of you I slay."

She looked on as her silver eyes narrowed, you could see within her youthful face and rose coloured cheeks that she had steeled her resolve.

"Okay… time to get serious."

She unloaded her scythe-gun as the cartridge fell away. She pulled out another cartridge from the small silver pack upon her belt. She swung her partner called Crescent Rose to her side and took up a low crouch.

Suddenly it was as if time slowed down for Ruby, the world bled out of colour, a thrumming sensation was felt as her Aura was consumed to fuel her Semblance.

Ruby pulled the trigger on Crescent Rose and with the aid of the recoil and her Semblance she shot off as fast as the speeding bullet itself. In the eyes of the dark creatures, it was as if she was a blur of red petals herself. She spun her great and heavy weapon as she cleaved through the monsters in front of her.

She ran and jumped as if she was flying at inhuman speeds, cutting her way through the throng of Beowolves. She raised her hungry reaping blade high above her head as she sailed through the air, and once more she flipped a switch and the blade of her scythe-gun mecha-shifted into its war scythe mode. The blade extended becoming longer to give her more reach.

Ruby rotated horizontally cutting four of the creatures down in quick succession. She skidded to halt and then once more began her beautiful dance of death.

A crimson whirlwind followed, she swung her reaping blade left and a flash of black gore. She swung her scythe right then a flash of crimson petals. Swinging her blade vertically she easily bisected the Beowolves in two. One after the other body parts, bullet casings and rose petals filled the air around this whirlwind of death not stopping until finally she was surrounded by the stench of the miasmic substance that made up the Grimm.

She buried the great and reaping blade into the frozen ground, she was hardly even out of breath. She just displayed calmness on her soft petite face at the massacre that just happened.

Bodies upon bodies of the miasma filled soulless creatures called Grimm littered the open snow-filled clearing. She once more swung the crimson gun-scythe named Crescent Rose over her shoulder and posed with a flourish with the broken moon to her back. Petals and bullet casings began to fall from the sky like snow and rain.

The girl’s name is Ruby Rose. A Huntress in training. Trained to slay monsters and all abhorrences known as Grimm upon the world known as Remnant.


	2. A New Dawn, A New Day, A New Life

#  **A New Dawn, A New Day, A New Life**

Early morning light streamed from the gaps in the curtains, rays from God shone through the air highlighting the dust particles within. Will stirred in his bed interrupting him from his dream of a young girl in another world.

A sudden and alarming noise from the phone at his bedside table caused him to stir from his slumber. A lazy hand appeared from under the quilt looking for the source of the intruding noise. He seemed to pick up his phone from which the noise was made and briefly swiped with his thumb to quickly kill such noise, and thus swiftly fell back to sleep.

Ten minutes later the alarming noise reappeared, he hastily went to turn it off, however, in his rush, he knocked over the beer can on his bedside table. Will must've felt the weight, as suddenly the half-empty can began to roll off the table and pour its contents onto the floor.

A short groan and curse came from underneath the quilt,

"Fuck."

Will arose from his slumber, lazily sitting up from within his bed, he went to his phone to once and for all to kill the alarming noise. Pausing he looked at his phone and noted the time.

"Shit."

Wearily placing a hand to his face and rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Will looked towards the pooling liquid on his floor and shrugged. Opening his drawer on his bedside table he withdrew an ash-stained glass tray, a bland carton box and a lighter.

Will opened the little bland carton and withdrew a cigarette, and lazily placed it between his lips from where it hung loosely. Sparking the cigarette he withdrew a lungful of smooth and bitter smoke. Stretching his arms above his head and bending his back as he exhaled the smoke through his nose like that of a dragon waking from its slumber.

Standing up from his bed in nothing but his underwear, Will picked up the can that had rolled off his table and set it back once more to where it had rested just moments earlier. He mumbled with the cigarette still hanging limply from his lips.

"Better clean that up."

Reaching into another draw with practised ease as if it was a common occurrence and grabbing two extra towels. Will slung one over his shoulder while the other he cast onto the now pooling liquid that was staining his carpet. Will then withdrew the smoking stick from his mouth and tapped the cigarette onto the ashtray before finally stubbing it out for good.

Walking towards the dimly lit curtains of his room and throwing them open, blinding light poured through causing him to flinch and shield his eyes. What he witnessed before him was the early spring morning of the city of London. Absentmindedly looking towards his bed and he thought to himself,

_‘I wish I could just go back to bed.'_

Staggering towards the door at the other end of the room Will entered what seemed to be an on suite bathroom. He flung the towel from his shoulder onto the sink.

Will had to clear the sleep from his brain and the best way he knew how was to start his morning with a shower. He genuinely seemed to enjoy the moment as he washed the sweat and sleep from his body, steam began to cloud up the small bathroom.

It wasn't long before he begrudgingly left the shower. Grabbing the towel from its resting place and vigorously dabbing himself off. He then stepped up to the sink and stared into the mirror. What he saw was his reflection staring back at him.

Steel-blue eyes gazed upon his features; a long and noble nose, thin lips, a square and stubble filled jaw. Rubbing his hand through the coarse hair upon his chin and cheek he decidedly needed to shave. Being as fair-haired as Will is, he didn't have much of a beard, to begin with. Grabbing the shaving foam and razor Will set to work.

Next, after dabbing himself off with the towel, he grabbed his thick head of dirty-blonde hair. The back and sides were cut short leaving the locks on top long. He grabbed some styling wax and styled it upon his fringe sweeping from right to left then up, texturizing the hair, so it had given a messier styled look. Will then proceeded to brush his teeth and stare once more into the mirror with a bright and toothy smile.

Content enough with his average and presentable looks he decided to get dressed.

Sauntering back into his bedroom he made his way to the wardrobe. Opening the doors, Will picked out what he wanted to wear for the day.

Taking out a plain white t-shirt, Will also grabbed his favourite brown leather bomber jacket with sheepskin collars and blue slim fit denim jeans. He grabbed some black designer boxers and some black socks before finally he began to dress in a relaxed manner. Finally, he donned his favourite jacket across his broad shoulders and tightened his black leather belt on his jeans so they wouldn't come loose upon his slim waistline.

Will once more picked up his phone and looked at the clock.

‘March 5th, 07:30'

Will still had time before his interview so then he decided what was on his agenda next. He quickly surveyed his one bedroom apartment.

It was small, nothing fancy. A simple bedroom, kitchen, bathroom and toilet. Just like his student days except he didn't have to contend with roommates. He walked over to the kitchen area and made himself a cup of tea and some cereal, he then proceeded to the computer desk on the far side of his room. He took a seat on a black leather swivel desk chair and looked over the most precious material goods he owned.

Will grabbed his phone from his pocket while sipping his tea and began to browse his apps. First, he checked his messages, emails then Snapchat before finally moving onto Tinder. With a disappointed sigh at his luck, he locked the phone and then moved onto his desktop computer from which he had left on the previous night and browsed the internet while eating his breakfast.

Setting about his next task Will had to make sure he had everything he needed for the day. He reached under his desk and grabbed the olive green satchel bag that lay there. He proceeded to pack a variety of items from around his room. He grabbed a tablet, spare power pack, SSD Hard Drive, headphones, glasses, wallet, keys, a waterproof bag, cigarettes, two lighters and finally donned his late father's watch upon his left wrist.

Will watched as the intricate golden gears of his late father’s watch ticked the time away second by second as he remembered the fond memories they both shared before he passed away. He stroked the brown and worn leather of the timepiece before noticing it was almost time for him to leave.

He immediately went and grabbed his black boots that would be good for walking and began to lace them up. Will then proceeded to connect his phone with the headphones, threading them through his clothes and placed them in his ears. He then browsed his playlist. After scrolling through various artists he found one that would be befitting to the start of this day.

‘Feeling Good' covered by Muse.

He pressed play and Matt Bellamy's wonderful and powerful voice filled his ears. He surveyed his items and stepped towards the door of his small apartment room.

Thirty seconds into the song he turned to survey his room once more. The smell of smoke from the cigarette earlier still hung heavy in the air. He turned back towards his door and placed his hand on the cold brass handle.

‘It's a new dawn~.'

The door handle squeaked as he twisted it, the door opened with a creak just like normal, the cool, clean air of the corridor greeted him. He stepped forward onto hopefully a good day and a bright future.

‘It's a new day~.'

The world was then turned upside down and inside out within the split of a second.

‘It's a new life~.'

It was then the air shimmered like that of a reflection on the water's surface. The sight of the corridor melted away into lush greenery and the smell of damp woodland. He didn't fully notice the change until he was out of the door.

‘For me~.'

The sound of the door closed behind him with an audible slam above his earphones.

‘And I'm feeling good~.'

A beat later he removed the earphones from his ears, the sound of birds twittering and leaves rustling in the wind took over from the music.

Will turned back to look over his shoulder in confusion and did a double take as the door had seemingly vanished. Instead, it had been replaced with lush forestry. He was alone, left in a vast, verdant and strange landscape.

A short and confused "huh" could be heard.

Will's mind ground to a halt. He clearly could not comprehend his current situation. His steel-blue eyes searched hungrily for answers. His breathing stopped, all movement had also stopped.

It was a few moments later when clear panic began to set into his face. He staggered backwards in confusion, almost losing his footing. Will turned once more searching desperately for the door. In his mind were thoughts screaming for answers.

_‘Where the fuck am I? How did I get here? What the fuck just happened?'_

Only the sounds of nature answered his internal questions. The birds twittering away, the wind blowing through the trees rustling the leaves and branches.

Will shivered as he felt that same cold wind and took heaping laboured breaths through his nose. He could smell the earthy dampness of the woodland confirming to him that this wasn't just some vivid dream he was having.

He began to test himself, pinching the back of his own arms and holding his breath until he could no longer. All the tests came back telling him that this was indeed reality. His breathing suddenly became more erratic. He stumbled forward towards the closest tree and placed his hand upon the coarse bark and felt it begin to flake beneath his skin.

Will's body once more felt the cold wind that lapped at his neck thus sending shivers down his spine. He flipped up his sheepskin collars of his jacket and twisted, leaning back against the tree.

He started to get his breathing under control as he began to think.

_‘C'mon Will, think…'_ He breathed in. _‘Think Will, think!'_ He breathed out.

Moments passed as he sunk into silence. Will closed his eyes and listened to the nature around him.

Seconds passed, then some minutes. As Will began to accept his situation his hand went to his pockets. He then pulled out a bland carton and withdrew a cigarette. He placed the cigarette between his lips with shaking hands and lit it with the lighter he pulled from his other pocket.

Inhaling the smoke he sat there holding his breath. He questioned himself internally once more.

_‘Did I blackout and somehow walk to a forest? Was I still drunk on last night's booze? Was it the pot I smoked the other day? How did I get here? I couldn't have just walked through my door into a forest. My apartment room is on the third floor!'_

No answers came to him as he wracked his bewildered brain.

Will breathed out a huge cloud of smoke. Nicotine flooded his body but that did nothing to quell his confusion and stress. He then shouted to no one in particular for all the forest to hear.

"Fuck me! Shit! Cunt! Bollocks! Wanker! Piece of shit, fucking life! Where the fuck am I!?" The birds flew from the trees at the verbal tirade. Will continued like that for some time till his voice went raw and his throat began to burn. He kicked his legs like that of a child throwing a tantrum.

Time passed once more as his anger subsided and his cigarettes were smoked one after the other until it started to taste like ash in his mouth. Soon the silence that followed was met with the remorse of his situation. Will was lost and alone. More alone than he has ever felt in his twenty years of life. He was scared and unsure as to where he was.

With his head between his legs, he just stared at the ground. Among the leaves were the cigarettes he had finished. He sighed heavily, beginning to get his thoughts in order.

Will once more fished into his pocket and pulled out his phone. The Forest by The Cure had been playing through his headphones. He couldn't help but sigh heavily once again at the irony. Switching off the music and checking the time twenty minutes had passed, however, he felt almost half the day had gone by. The biggest question was how he had managed to get to a forest within twenty minutes when he lived in the middle of a city.

Next he checked for a signal, and of course, there was no such luck. Will stretched his arm futilely towards the sky hoping for a single bar. However, he just cursed at his miserable luck. He decided there and then that his best hope was to look for higher ground in hopes of getting a signal. Will then proceeded to switch his phone off.

Having no idea which way to go Will just turned upon the spot, he surveyed the area hoping for a sign of which direction he should go. However, Will decided to just walk. He weaved between the trees of this verdant landscape looking for any signs of trails or footpaths.

The roots of the trees and low lying bushes caught upon his feet making the walking pretty difficult. He spent what seemed like a few hours before checking his phone. However, upon switching on his phone the same words greeted him.

No Signal.

He huffed when he saw that only another thirty minutes passed. A moment of realization came over him. In ten minutes his interview would begin. But now that seems like a distant worry compared to his current situation. Will switched off his phone and once more set off in his aimlessly chosen direction.

Will had been walking for what seemed like hours, however, the treetops had completely blocked out his view of the suns position. He was having trouble keeping his bearing and was likely walking in circles. Every few hours Will stopped to check his phone, but every single time he was met with disappointment, much worse than getting no matches on Tinder.

It wasn't long before hues of the sun began to darken and turn orange. He had been walking since morning stopping only to check for a signal. He was no closer to any civilization than when he first started walking. At times he ran through the underbrush hoping to stumble upon a road, however, now that night was closing in finding such hope would be improbable.

It wasn't long before Will found himself upon a precipice. When he stumbled his way out of thick forestry he found himself on a steep hill descending sharply into a ravine. Upon this steep hill was a clearing. he decided he would stay here for the night. Throughout the day Will had kept an eye open for any signs of human activity, however, no trash, no public walkways, nothing at all gave him any signs that people had passed through this area.

He immediately began to gather tinder, sticks and logs for a campfire. As he would be spending the night in the lonely forest he wanted to at least keep warm.

Soon twilight began to set in.

Will started by using his lighter to burn his tinder, once he got smoke and some nice burning embers he added more flammable tinder creating a small fire. He then began to add small sticks building up his beacon of hope. It wasn't long before the small fire became a roaring flame. He then proceeded to place large dry logs upon his fire in hopes of it burning throughout the night.

As he was about to break one incredibly long and thick stick he paused. He looked over the gnarled wood and held it in his hands. It was long and thick, it could be used as a weapon in case he was attacked. However, there were no large predators in England. Wolves died out long ago. The most he had to worry about was probably foxes, badgers and maybe deer.

Still having a fire and a large stick made him feel safer. He placed the stick by his olive green satchel bag and once more gathered extra bits of firewood. Soon darkness encroached upon Will and his small camp, the sounds of the woodland began to grow quiet.

Will found that the day had actually been reasonably warm, especially since he was active all day. However, the night was a world apart. Will huddled close to his fire trying to keep the cold at bay. He placed his head on his bag and watched, listening to the fire as it crackled and popped away.

The feeling of safety from the fire and the smokey smell soon brought about a problem for Will. His belly rumbled hungrily for sustenance. Will wished desperately that he had packed some snacks and now he was regretting that decision.

Will thought about what he would do, would he even be able to hunt? He shook his head. His only experience would be from TV shows and youtube videos otherwise he had no practical experience whatsoever. As his hunger began to gnaw upon his gut, Will could also feel his thirst get to him. His throat and lips were beginning to get parched so he decided that tomorrow he would search for a stream or river.

Transfixed at the fire, Will began to feel his eyes begin to flutter closed. The day clearly exhausted him, his body and mind were spent. So huddled around his beacon he flipped up the collars of his jacket and settled into a deep sleep.

It was sometime much later in the dead of night that something disturbed Will's sleep. He was jolted awake by the sounds of night creatures prowling in the darkness of the woodland. Will sat up as his ears picked up the sounds of bushes rustling and the sounds of every small animal's footsteps were clearly heard within the darkness.

The fire had long gone out, Will had misjudged the amount of fuel he had put in and now only smoking cinders and embers remained. He was totally blind within this dark foreboding forest.

The cold wind whipped through the trees sucking the very warmth from his body. The whole atmosphere was so different from that of a city. Here humanity was vulnerable out in the wilds.

And nothing brought that more home than what Will heard next.

Something… Big… Prowled within this darkness. Its heavy footsteps could be heard crushing the undergrowth beneath it. The sounds of snapping twigs and disturbed brush told Will it was a much, much larger creature than any in the forest.

Will's shaking fingers reached for the stick close by just in case something like this was to happen. However, the fear gripped him in its icy claws, freezing him still. He struggled to move under the immense fear of making a sound. Slowly his fingers trailed in the leaves like a snail hoping not to garner the attention of whatever it was out there.

Will felt like the stick was just forever out of reach, his hand stretched on forever looking for something to place between him and whatever was out there. He could not see well enough in this darkness even with what little light came from the moon behind the clouds.

Then suddenly the clouds parted letting in a little more light.

It was then that Will saw it.

The large pitch black like body slinked out from the darkness, its large form looked as if it was composed of a dark and foreboding miasma fur-like body, it looked between that of a large wolf and gorilla. What Will could also clearly see that most terrified him to the bone were its eyes. Hungry, glowing, blood-red eyes.

The clouds parted fully revealing a shattered and broken moon.

Will thought just only briefly. _‘What the fuck happened to the moon?'_ Before his attention snapped back to the monster in front of him.

Moonlit rays highlighted the monsters bone-white faceplate, it had a large gash where it was cracked. Its huge frame was studded by large white bone growths. Its blood-red eyes hungrily searched the area almost as if it was seeking its next meal.

_‘Shit, shit, shit, shit!'_

Will's panicked thoughts consumed him as it's huge black body lumbered into the clearing where Will had set up his rudimentary camp. His brain fired all its neurons kicking in the instinct to run, however, as his steel-blue eyes met the creature's blood-red eyes in front of him, Will's blood ran cold and was frozen in fear.

Will stifled a terrified scream as the massive beast was no more than fifteen feet in front of him. Will didn't think it had noticed his presence just yet. But the smell of unrelenting fear that was flooding out of him like a burst water pipe would surely gather this giant monsters attention.

He desperately willed his fingers to move as the creature looked towards the shattered satellite. Will’s whole body shook in abstract terror, slowly inch by agonizing inch he began to wrap his shaking fingers around the large wooden stick at his side to act as a barrier between him and the monster, however, his fingers lost grip from the shaking. The stick tumbled loudly to the ground and the sudden movement garnered the attention of the black beast.

Its blood-red eyes fell on him, Will held his breath in fright and almost pissed himself.

The horrifying monster was now ten feet from him. He could see its huge deadly claws gouging dirt from the soil as it moved telling Will of its wild strength and heavyweight. He was almost sure this thing could rip him to shreds in a heartbeat and he wouldn't even have a chance to run or fight back.

It was now so close that if Will decided to reach out, he could touch it.

The monster then loomed closer as Will could smell iron and feel its rancid hot breath upon his face. He could also see its blood caked, salivating maw and bloodstained vicious teeth. It must have smelt the fear coming from him.

The dark creature then froze, it's blood-red predatory eyes locked deep into his steel-blue as if drinking in Will's soul. Savouring the emotion of pure despair and terror.

Suddenly the monster jerked backwards and raised upon its haunches, Will could hear it inhale a large amount of air as the sickening sound of muscles began expanding. It then gave out the most blood-curdling noise Will had ever heard in his short life.

Its howl was hollow, guttural and frightening, it bellowed at the shattered moon. Will felt a warm wet sensation around his nether regions.

Will had pissed himself.

It was as if at this moment, William Arthur Arnolds had died.

But instead through the fight or flight response that all humans possess adrenaline flooded Will's veins. He screamed his lungs out in animalistic fury and grabbed for his bag and stick. He swung with all his might towards the creatures massive frame. He connected, momentarily dazing the great black beast.

Will hastily stepped back as the monster made of darkness glared at him with hungry red eyes. Its open maw dripped with saliva. Will was now backed up towards the edge of the precipice. The giant black wolf lunged at Will with terrifying speed.

A moment in what seemed like forever as Will witnessed the deadly claws descend upon him, it was then that his right foot gave out from beneath him in weakness.

He felt a moment of weightlessness.

Will fell, then hit solid ground. He tumbled down the steep slope rolling like a ragdoll. He hit roots and rocks bruising his body, his world spun round and round, pain shooting up his side, arms and back. In what felt like forever he rolled and just as suddenly he stopped.

A pained grunt could be heard. However, Will dared not to move. He cast his eyes towards the lip of the steep slope but the dark beast did not follow.

Will stared in abstract terror at the monster's blood-red eyes far above him still focused on watching, it's lumbering form then started to melt into the undergrowth. The last thing Will saw was the beast's blood-red eyes blink out of existence into the darkness of the woodland.

Will just laid among the leaves at the bottom of the ravine. He waited for a long while, he didn't dare move, every fibre of his being was screaming out to escape this place, however, his body would not listen. All his body could do was uncontrollably shake.

The frayed nerves and stress finally won over as Will passed out from the terror of his ordeal.


	3. A Cruel and Dangerous World

#  **A Cruel And Dangerous World**

A long time passed before Will came to and could move.

Desperately he searched to grab hold of a weapon in case the monstrous beast came back. Soon his hand found purchase on his bag. It wasn't a moment later when he had found another stick that would serve its purpose of defence, whether it was the same stick he was unsure as his mind was scattered. Regardless Will's heart settled if only slightly.

Will backed up towards a tree on shaky legs. He sat resting his quaking heart. Will then placed the large stick in front of him like some barrier hoping to ward away anything that came near. For the longest of time, the beast never returned to feast on him.

Will thought madly on his current situation. He couldn't believe what he had just witnessed and experienced.

_ ‘What the fuck was that!? What was that thing? Jesus fucking Christ!' _

Will thought more on the creature that had almost killed him. Something niggled at his thoughts yet the panic and stress wouldn't let him hold any coherent train-of-thought.

Some more time passed. Will couldn't quite tell how long. He was cold as well as terrified, so he had to will himself to stand up, he began to fish around in his pockets for his phone. He pressed the ‘on’ button and the phone came to life with a lively tune. Will desperately buried the loud noise into his chest. He begged that the loud noise didn't alert the monster that stalked the area.

Will looked at the phone's time and suddenly felt dread, it was still very early morning. Will decided that he should try to get another fire going. He used the phone's screen to light his surroundings and once more gathered sticks and logs in his general vicinity, all the while keeping his ears sharp for any sound like that of the monster prowling in the dark. Before long he had another pile of tinder, sticks and logs.

Will then set to work on building his second fire. Once he got his fire going again Will felt just a little safer. Some people would say that fire was humanity's first invention and perhaps the sight of fire does bring back that mentality, of course, humans used fire to cook their food, also as a weapon and finally a tool to keep themselves safe and shape the wilderness around them.

Will's heart settled at the sight of the fire. Will began to think deeper about what he encountered.

_ ‘That thing couldn't possibly exist. No wild wolves are in England. They went extinct long ago. So what was it? Another species of a wolf? None that I had ever seen. Yet… I can't say why it was so familiar?' _

Will sighed heavily, releasing the built-up nerves in his body.

With his beacon of hope, he once again mulled over on what he should need to do. First off he decided he would need a weapon in the case that monster decided to return and feast on his flesh. A large stick won't cut it as bludgeoning it to death would be laughable against such a monster that size. So he needed to turn his large stick into a spear and hope that the length would keep him as far from the beast as possible and the pointy end would act as a deterrent. However, he had no knife to carve the wood into a point.

What he could do is get a rather large slab of stone and heat the tip of his stick until it blackened, then grind that tip upon the slab of stone until he got his desired point. Will completed his rudimentary spear some time later.

Now with the makeshift spear in hand he held it close to his body, it was his only weapon against whatever monster was out there. How he wished desperately that he had something better but it would have to do. Now left alone with his thoughts, Will evaluated his current situation in more detail.

_ ‘What was it? Something about that monster is so familiar to me. I'm sure I've seen something like it. No, it wasn't an animal. I am one hundred percent sure on that…' _

Again he sighed. His thoughts went round in circles trying to identify the beast. Just as he ran through the terrifying events in his head something clicked.

“The moon.” He uttered.

Will's eyes snapped towards the moon. In the gaps of the tree's Will shuddered as his eyes finally rested upon what was his biggest clue. His mind couldn't comprehend what he was seeing with his own eyes.

A small whisper was uttered beneath his breath, "Impossible."

There up high in the sky was a moon, unlike the one he was used too. The satellite was shattered. As if something had smashed through it.

Will could only shake his head.  _ ‘No, nononono, no! I'm dreaming. I've got to be fucking dreaming.' _

Will's mind started putting the pieces in place. The shattered moon. The giant black monster that looked like a wolf. There was only one thing that reminded him of what he had seen. He finally identified the monster that had attacked him. A fictional monster.

_ ‘It can't be real. I'm dreaming. Or I've gone fucking mad!' _

Yet, everything he experienced told him that this was his new reality. Will finally placed the name on the monster. It was one of the nemeses of a fictional world. What Will had witnessed was a creature called a Grimm. Will had encountered a Beowolf.

Will laughed.

He shook his head as he looked back towards the shattered satellite.

It was then that an even more terrifying realisation dawned upon Will, he was no longer on Earth. No, he was no longer within the known universe, he had stepped through a door into the fictional world; Will was on Remnant. The universe of the American web show RWBY.

_ ‘This can't be real. But… the moon. Oh, God. I'm on Remnant. I'm fucking lost on Remnant.' _

Will could barely hold himself together, he buried his head in his hands as he considered the impossibility. If he was right then, he had to think of a solution to his problem. He set his mind to work.

_ ‘I'm on Remnant, Shit. Being on Remnant in the middle of some dingy forest filled with Grimm is a death sentence. Oh shit, there is more of those fucking things out there. Ohhh fuck, realistically I'm probably going to die…. I need some way to survive?' _

Something for Will suddenly clicked and he had to look at his body, he pulled the sleeves up his arms and looked at the shallow cuts and grazes that appeared.

_ ‘Guess I have no Aura as any cuts would have healed by now, anyway, would an Earthling even have an Aura? We are living creatures after all and it's supposed to be the projection of one's soul.' _

Will thought deeper on the subject. _ ‘Do humans on Earth even have a soul? It's more of a philosophical question than an actual tangible thing back on Earth. So would a human of Earth even possess a tangible soul and in extension Aura now that I'm on Remnant?' _

Will couldn't help but shrug his shoulders and sigh heavily. His eyes turned towards Remnant's shattered moon and once more he went to his pockets for a cigarette. When he pulled the carton from his pocket Will noticed that his packet had been crushed from his fall. He looked saddened, however, he still opened the carton and took a bent cigarette from its resting place. He lit it using the campfire and placed it between his lips.

He knew he wouldn't be sleeping tonight. Taking a deep puff of warm smooth and bitter smoke Will thought back on his time on Earth. The people he left behind would they even notice he was gone? 

_ ‘Well I know my mother would miss me, my sister too, can't say I had any close friends anyway.' _ Will sighed heavily once more releasing a puff of smoke. He watched as it danced in the air and mixed with the smoke from the campfire.

_ ‘Can I really get back home? Do I really want to go back to a monotonous life of waking up, going to work at a job I don't really care about then eat, go to sleep and repeat…?' _

_ ‘...Yes, definitely fucking yes! It's way better than the situation I'm in right now'. _ Will nervously laughed.

Will then flicked the burnt out cig into the fire and watched as a cloud of embers rose into the air with an audible crackle. He then placed the rudimentary spear between his legs and kept watch, listening and waiting for his inevitable death. Will was still shaking with fright with the earlier encounter of a Grimm. He wouldn't dare sleep so he waited all night long.

With bags under his eyes, the first light of the sun began to appear through the dingey forest, the sun had yet to completely rise but now he could clearly see all around him in the predawn light. He decided now was his best time to move. Taking his satchel bag and rudimentary spear, Will set off in the direction of the sunrise leaving his beacon behind in hopes of burning the forest down and taking that monster with it.

A long time had passed since Will had left the rudimentary campsite.

Between the breaks in the trees, he could see the sun that rose high in the sky. Will's gut rumbled in protest at his hunger and his energy was draining ever faster. It was no use for him to hunt, he could only think to keep on moving and look for signs of any civilization.

Will thought to himself as he walked through the undergrowth wearily. _ ‘I wonder where in the canon timeline I'm supposed to be? Would I be here during the events of volume one? Is this place the Emerald Forest? What if I’m here way before all that?' _

Will ever pondered these questions in his head, sighing as he walked ever onward,  _ ‘Perhaps I might be rescued by team RWBY during their initiation? But honestly, what are the chances I’m here at the same time as the canon events? What if I was on another continent? What if I was dropped somewhere random, far from any civilization? What do I do?' _

The weary extra-dimensional traveller raised his hands to his head and furiously shuffled his hair. He was slick with sweat from the arduous journey, he stopped and stared into the canopy looking for any sign of the sun. He then swept his eyes across the endless trees that surrounded him watching intently.

Luckily no signs of that monster or any other Grimm.

Will closed his eyes and listened intently. Hoping for any signs of a river or civilization far in the distance. As usual, he was only greeted by the sounds of the forest. He smacked his dry lips as his thirst was getting pretty desperate.

Thus once more he set off trudging through the trees now at a severely slowed pace. He needed to conserve what little energy he had, in case he had to run.

The day luckily passed without any signs of Grimm. But Will had yet to find any clue to human activity in the area. It was now getting to twilight and he had to prepare once more for another cold and lonely night.

Will pondered two options. Either have a fire tonight and stay warm but in danger of being approached by Grimm. Or he could stay up in a tree away from the ground and safe from the claws of any hungry Grimm. He knew both those options did not include any sleep. He just wished he wasn't alone. Having someone take turns on watch while the other could sleep would mean they could get safety and rest.

For now, he decided to go with the safer option, he searched quickly for a large tree that was accessible for him to climb. Preferably one with thick sturdy branches so that he may comfortably rest. It wasn't long till he found what he was looking for.

As he began to climb up on the huge trunk, its gnarled flaky bark made it tough for him with his lack of energy. Still, Will persisted slowly shuffling up the tree, it wasn't a second later when he reached for the first branch for purchase when he suddenly slipped and fell to the ground. He crashed on the floor knocking the wind out of him and his already bruised body screamed in pain.

He caught his breath slowly and glared at the tree, once more Will steeled his resolve as he rubbed his back.

"Alright, I'll show you not to take the piss with me!" He spoke to no one in particular.

He removed his belt and undid the zipper upon his trousers, then proceeded to piss on the tree. The strong smell of urine assaulted him along with the damp smell of woodland. He could clearly tell he was dehydrated.

Once he finished marking his territory he then moved around to the other side of the tree. He wrapped the belt around the other side of its thick trunk and lent backwards supporting his weight. He then began to shimmy himself upwards slowly and carefully. He made it to the previous point from where he fell and quickly dived for the branch. Luckily catching a break Will had managed to find purchase some fifteen feet off the ground. He then stood upon the precarious branch and heard it creak from under his weight. He then decided to get higher looking for a more sturdy branch.

Will reached for another branch and hauled himself upwards, he swung his legs up and over and sat on the sturdier branch. Will then peered towards the ground and found himself somewhere twenty feet up. He wondered how high some Grimm could jump so he decided to get a little higher. He made his way to the next sturdier branch till finally, he was happy with the current position.

"Yeah, this is high enough." He whispered in nervousness.

He leant against the trunk with his bag resting against the small of his back. While a little more comfortable the gnarled bark was still not as comfy as he hoped.

"No way am I getting any sleep tonight either." he sighed heavily.

He waited and watched as soon twilight gave way to pure darkness. The sounds of the forest melted away to the cold wind howling between the trees. Will then flipped up the collars of his favourite brown leather bomber jacket and rested his cheek upon the warm sheepskin collar. His steel-blue eyes glanced towards Remnants broken moon now visible high in the sky.

_ ‘This world… a world made by bonafide Gods. Fuck me, to think that God of Darkness smashed right through that thing and created Dust. He was also responsible for the Grimm too. Shit, I hope there aren’t any around? _

Will listened for any signs of the dark creatures once more. His eyes scanned the moonlit darkness, he couldn't see far but just enough to make out the rough shape of the surrounding area.

He pulled the phone from his pocket and switched it on. By now Will had put his phone on silent and set the phones setting to a low power mode. Still, the brightness of the screen lit up the branch he was on. He looked at the time and sighed dreadfully.

‘March 6th, 21:28’

"This is gonna be a long night…" Will whispered to himself.

Will didn't usually talk to himself, however now it's been roughly two days since he's seen a single person. The sound of his own voice brought him little joy in this messed up situation.

He then briefly thought on what he'd do on a night like this back on Earth. Usually, around this time, he is in some pub or club with a cold beer and some friends he used to meet up with. However usually by early morning, they all go their separate ways either lonely and drunk or with a girl in their arms. Heck, one lad Will knew would take home another lad given the chance. Will shrugged and gave a hollow chuckle. He wondered how they'd be doing now… probably haven't noticed he was gone anyway. With that thought, he felt lonely.

Will switched his phone off and proceeded to put it within his jacket pocket. He then reached into his pockets once more for a cigarette. Opening the crushed packet and suddenly his heartfelt dread once more.

There he found only one badly mangled cig was left. He was now down one more carton. Since coming to this world Will had smoked like a chimney… rather, Will had always smoked like a chimney. But the duress of his current circumstances made him smoke all the more. Luckily he had two more packs within his bag. However, he had no idea how long he'll be in this forest. Or rather if he will even live long enough to smoke the rest.

He pulled the bent cig from its carton and cast the carton itself towards the forest floor. The carton was perhaps the first human trash to grace this part of the pristine woodland forest.

Will placed the cig limply between his lips and lit it, savouring the warm smooth smoke. Once more nicotine flooded his body sending tingles down his spine. Will felt surprised as that's the first time he felt a nicotine rush in a while.

He lazily drew puff and after a puff of the smoke. Before finally, he felt its heat begin to touch his fingers. He then lazily flicked the nub from the top of his branch. He watched as the burning embers gracefully fell from the sky and disappear into the darkness.

The man in the tree sat in silence for what felt like forever. His eyelids began to flutter closed, clearly, even today sleep was catching up to him. Slowly but surely his lids closed as thoughts of loneliness and worry consumed him.

But as soon as they did, shuffling on the forest floor could be heard. The same noise from the previous night haunted him making Will shoot awake in a panic. Will almost lost balance upon his branch and frightfully his eyes scanned the area.

Seconds later, a dark lumbering form entered into the area of Will's tree. While its shape was hard to make out, Will could clearly see its glowing red eyes. They were searching hungrily for prey, for him.

Will's breathing hitched as he panicked, but just as suddenly he forced his fear down. Will knew Grimm reacted to fear, so the best thing for him now was to conquer it. He slowed his own breathing and kept a sharp eye on the beast so many meters below him.

He watched as the Beowolf moved between the trees in its hunt. Suddenly as the light from the broken moon highlighted its faceplate, Will recognised the creature was the same as the previous night. Its bone-white faceplate was cracked and adorned with a huge gash.

As the monster came closer to Wills tree, it sniffed around the area. It seemed as if it caught the scent of something and moved ever closer. Will had hoped that it couldn't sense him, he tried his hardest to suppress his fear. Knowing these creatures called Grimm were attracted to negative emotion. He sat deathly still with his hand gripping the branch tightly.

The monster then slowly drew in the smell at the base of the tree and as if it smelt something it didn't like its dark fur raised on end. The lumbering beast shook as if snubbing the smell. The Beowolf scanned the area, before once more setting off in the opposite direction away from the tree.

Will didn't realise he was holding his breath. Once the monster had stepped far enough away he released his breath all in one go. He could see how the air was getting frigid. His breath pooled clouds of steam. He worked to get his breathing under control. His eyes watched as the beast had completely vanished into the darkness.

He lent back against the tree, placing his hand against his furiously beating heart. Soon as the seconds or perhaps minutes passed by he began to calm. He felt his heart settle into a more stable rhythm. Will couldn't tell how much longer he waited. He just desperately prayed that the morning sun would rise and that he would live to see it.

Hours passed as Will checked his phone. The battery was now sitting at sixty-four percent. He knew now that there would no longer be any hope for a signal. Especially since this was a different world to the one he came from. As the time ticked on morning drew closer. And once more Will was greeted by encroaching predawn light. After checking the area was clear Will slowly descended the tree.

He then walked in the opposite direction from which the black beast left.

It was perhaps mid-afternoon of the third day on Remnant when Will spotted something peculiar far off in the distance. Through the gaps in the treetop canopy, he could see smoke. As he headed in its general direction he was assaulted by the smell of it. He choked when he imagined he could also smell cooking meat. His saliva then began to pool into his mouth.

He ran through the forest as fast as his legs could carry him when suddenly he stepped upon a dirt road. The shock of finding something made by civilization brought him such joy he almost danced. Will then inwardly pumped his fist and silently cheered. He followed the road desperate for his first human or even perhaps Faunus contact.

Will strode up the road, he wondered how he would make his first contact.  _ ‘Oh man, what should I do? Do I just introduce myself, then beg for help? Do I tell them that I come from another world? Nah, that'd be bad, they would think I'm a mental nutcase. Should I just give as little information as possible? Say that I was just lost? Yeah, that would be a good start. But what if they asked how I got lost? I could make up something.' _

As soon as Will finished his mental plan he could soon see what looked to be more signs of civilization. In his excitement Will began to run, however, he stumbled when his body realised how much lack of energy it had. He settled once more back into his slow methodical pace. It was then that he turned a slow bend in the road that he witnessed something that made him pause.

Away up he saw a person lying in the middle of the road. His clothes were tattered and as Will got closer he began to see more signs of something grim. Blood stained the man's clothes and what seemed to be a deep gash that had made its mark across the man's back. As Will surveyed the body he could tell the man was running from something and was cut down as he fled.

Will bent a knee at the bodies side, he prodded and poked hoping for a response. Wills' face looked bleak, he rolled the person on his back and he could clearly tell this man had been gone a few days now. His skin was cold and putrid. A sickly sweet smell unique to death washed over him. Will looked up at the road following the bloody trail towards the settlement far in the distance and clearly saw the smoke rising from within. With a grimace on his face, he stepped onward towards the settlement.

Step after step Will got closer towards uncertainty. Every so often he found spatterings of blood but he avoided them as if they were diseased. As he neared the huge gated settlement he could see it was left ajar. Blood seemed to have caked the small gap and Will gingerly peeked through the gate.

Within was a ghost town. Littered with piles upon piles of burnt corpses. The smell of burning meat Will had earlier encountered was that of this town's previous inhabitants. He remembered how his mouth drooled with saliva at the prospect of cooking meat. His face twisted in disgust. Will looked away and almost dry heaved but since he had nothing left there was nothing but a raspy noise from his gut and throat.

As he caught his breath and wiped his mouth Will began to walk forward into the main thoroughfare. The wide-open town square was eerily quiet. Will had no clue as to what happened here. But he acknowledged that no help could be found here.

Will carefully made his way through the town giving a wide berth to the corpses that littered the streets. He then made a grim decision. He didn't know how this world viewed looting. However, it was all he could do to survive having not eaten or drunk for days. Will stared at a house that was not among those currently still smouldering. The door was ajar as if someone, or maybe something had forced its way in. He carefully peered into the home of one of the countless corpses that littered the streets of the town.

The place was ransacked. Clearly, all valuables had been taken. This told Will that this was not an attack by Grimm but by that of people.

"Bandits." He whispered.

As Will made his way through the broken furniture of the house he headed towards the room that looked to be some sort of kitchen. Inside he went straight for the tap. Twisting the cold metal knob the pipes groaned and creaked as if trying to pump something through. Precious seconds later water slowly trickled from the faucet. Will shoved his head under the tap and took precious little droplets of water. The tap began to shake and rasp as it began to pump the last remaining water from its pipes. And as soon as it started it stopped. It wasn't even enough to wet his tongue. Will slammed the counter with his fist.

"Fucking damn it!" he shouted.

Will leant against the counter and sink. He calmed his nerves and focused himself once more. He pondered what to do next.  _ ‘Alright… let's check for some food, anything like non-perishables. I garner that bandits took everything of value, even food. But hopefully, something had been left. They couldn't have gotten everything?' _

Will went straight towards the closest cupboard and threw open its doors. He checked the far back in case anything was left, however, no luck. Of course, he went to the fridge in hopes, however as expected nothing remained. He went through every cupboard and draw in that kitchen, the bandits even stole the silverware. Nothing was left.

Will left the house dejected. He peered up the road looking for any other houses or buildings that had been left unscathed by fire or maybe even looters. However, no such signs made it so obvious that this town was truly ransacked. He walked towards the neighbouring houses and made his way inside. He went straight towards the kitchen and found the same situation there. Completely empty.

Will moved from house to house, he had found a few small empty plastic bottles in trash cans and proceeded to fill them with draining the pipes of their water. He immediately downed the first full bottle he had. In his search for food, Will also searched for anything else that might be of use to him.

First, he looked for weapons. He wanted to defend himself if he was attacked by Grimm or maybe even bandits if they came back. Second, he looked for anything that resembled money. As he searched house after house Will did manage to find a few spare liens. The plastic cards of this world served as its currency. In the end, he walked away with probably nothing more the sixteen lien from the houses he fully searched.

It was probably a miracle that Will had found any food at all. After he searched countless houses one had what he desired most. As he made his way into the kitchen of this particular home he was greeted by what seemed to be another corpse. 

Her body lay strewn over the table that was in the middle of the room. Her blonde hair was dishevelled and her face was twisted in despair. Her throat slit open, the knife buried into the counter and her eyes stared lifelessly into its steel edge. What disturbed Will further was the now coagulated and cold blood that pooled upon the tabletop in which caked her exposed breasts. Her bottom half was also exposed for all the world to see. Will clearly could guess as to what happened.

Will's face twisted in disgust and sorrow. He turned away, pushing the sight from his mind and settled into the rhythm that he did with the previous houses. He drained the kitchen tap of water while he searched the fridge and cupboards. It was then that his sight caught something miraculous, it seemed while a bandit was getting it off he had forgotten to ransack this house. Will found that this particular house while didn't have much, most of the cupboards were still moderately filled with food.

Of course, most if not all had gone off and rotted but, the non-perishables were still here. Canned soup, some sort of canned pasta, canned fish and all manner of other non-perishable goods were still here. Will eagerly grabbed what he could and placed them upon the counter. Here he had enough that could last him days, perhaps even a week or two. He left the room looking for an extra bag. He went upstairs towards the bedrooms and upstairs bathroom. He immediately went ahead and drained the bathroom pipes of water and also moved towards the tank at the back of the toilet. Will had a sizable amount of both water and food now. He could finally eat and drink his fill. At least for the next few days and if rationed carefully weeks.

As he searched the rest of the house he opened a particular door into one of the three bedrooms where he found a few extra liens in what seemed to be the master bedroom.

When he finally reached the last door he was met with a shocking and gut-wrenching sight. 

Blood. 

Blood caked the childish wallpaper and even the cot. Will paused at the sight wide-eyed. He then slowly backed out of the room and quietly closed the door as if to not disturb he scene.

Will turned his back and leant against a wall, his legs gave out from beneath him as a tear rolled down his cheek. He began to pound the back of his head against the wall in an effort to wipe his mind of what he had just witnessed. In between gritted teeth, Will spoke.

"They didn't even spare the baby."

Will sat there lamenting at this cruelness. There was nothing for him to do. He couldn't fix all this even if he wanted to. All he could think was that this was his new reality. And once more Will pondered that this was a side of the world of RWBY the people of Earth had never seen.

Will sat there for the longest time thinking. He felt guilty about ransacking the home of this poor and unfortunate family. He felt guilty over the joy of finding food and water. He couldn't shake this dark feeling in his heart.

He stood up and inhaled a calm steady breath. He forcefully pushed everything out of his mind and went downstairs. In the hallway, he found what he had originally been looking for. A small black backpack was hitched upon the coat hanger behind a bunch of coats.

Will with another bag, filled both his satchel bag and backpack. He managed to fill his bags to the brim with both foods, water and lien. As he was stepping out of the kitchen, without even looking at the corpse. Will whispered an apology and his thanks. He then took the blade from the counter and moved on to another house.

The day was drawing to a close and night was soon upon him. He decided that it'd be best for him to stay in one of the less damaged houses. Will found himself in front of one of the houses he had previously been through. He chose this particular house because he found there were locks in the bedrooms. As he made his way into the bedroom he closed the door behind him and walked towards the window. He looked onto the main street and saw no sign of life. He closed the thick velvet red curtains and sat on the bed. He opened his newly acquired backpack and drunk from one of the bottles of water he had. He didn't care that this was perhaps one where the water was taken from the toilet's water tank. He then proceeded to open a can of pasta.

Using the knife from the woman's home, he managed to pry open a sizable hole. He drained the contents into his mouth and the cold flavour immediately whetted his tongue. He ate greedily its contents and then moved for a second helping. It was almost his third when he stopped and thought that maybe he should save something as he would never be sure if he got lucky again. He then threw himself back onto the bed and sunk into the quilt. He was exhausted and perhaps tonight was going to be the first night that he will actually get any sleep at all.

Wrapped within the quilt of some strangers home, Will was warm and comfy and proceeded to sleep. That night Will did not encounter that monster. Neither did he have any dreams. He slept soundly through the night, not waking well into the next day.

As he awoke, light dimly filtered into the room between the thick velvet red curtains. Will slowly rose from his nest and yawned with vigour. He felt that this was the best rest he could have asked for since coming to this new world. He slowly shuffled off the quilt and proceeded to stand up at the foot of the bed.

A small rumble gnawed at his gut, telling him he was still hungry for more sustenance. However, Will put that off and proceeded to his nasty habit. As he rubbed the sleep from his eyes he opened his olive green satchel bag and retrieved another carton of smokes. He lit the fresh cigarette with much vigour and inhaled its poison. He stood holding his breath before finally breathing out much of the smoke. He grimaced as he thought on what he wanted to do next.

_ ‘Man, I wish I could shower… It's been so many days.'  _ Will lamented at this, he knew he smelt ripe. Of course, it was a given seeing as how he had spent the last few days running from the monster and surviving in the forest.

Will's next task was to find out where he was. Was he on the continent of Sanus? Or maybe he was somewhere in Anima close to Mistral? He knew it wasn’t Atlas due to the weather being reasonably warm. Regardless Will had no clue to his current whereabouts.

So leaving his stuff behind Will set off to find a map within the now abandoned homes of the people who once lived here. As he passed their corpses on the street he still felt a great deal of guilt. He turned his gaze away as if trying to ignore the horror of being surrounded by nothing but death.

Before too long Will found what he was looking for. He found a map, more specifically a map of Sanus. However not knowing which town he was in made the map useless. So he looked for information about this settlement. It was around the gate area when he found a plaque that marked the name of this settlement.

He frowned as he spoke the words written upon the plaque, "Salut Village… huh".

What little salvation Will found here the previous inhabitants of the settlement did not. With map in hand Will headed back to the house he had spent the night previously. He then spread the map upon the bed and searched for the name of this small village upon the continent of Sanus.

"Salut… Salut… Salut Village… Ah." As Will's finger traced the map his finger stopped when he came upon the villages name. A small dot in the sea of forest. He looked over the surrounding areas and found very few settlements few and far between. Further north, much, much further north a large black square marked Vale. Will had no idea how far the capital would be, but what he did know was that he was very, very far away.

_ ‘Well, now I know…'  _ He thought to himself. 

As he once more searched the surrounding areas on the map the next closest town had been marked with an ‘x' over the top of its small dot. He had no idea what that meant. But he could probably assume it meant that it was gone. Will sighed grimly.

Next, he searched for other settlements that didn't have the daunting ‘x' marker. And not too far away at the bottom of what looked to be a river was a town called Verdant. It too looked to be surrounded by this forest that stretched for miles in either direction however no ‘x' adorned its small dot. Perhaps Will thought.  _ ‘That people still live there.' _

Will smiled at this small hope. He couldn't quite tell how far this river and its town was, but still judging by the distance it couldn't be that far. At least when compared to Vale.

Will studied the map then folded it over on itself and placed it within his satchel bag. He checked his late father's watch and saw that it was reading three and forty-seven. Will proceeded to then grab a bite to eat. As he filled his belly with food and water, he sighed with content. He mulled over the thought of making his way to this place called Verdant Town. He nodded once then twice as he decided that tomorrow after scouring the other houses for all their food, water, lien and perhaps something better to use as a weapon, he would make his way to this settlement.

Will set to work the next day scouring the abandoned village with purpose. He no longer could smell the stench of death. He wondered if he had become numb to its smell. Regardless he ignored the depressing atmosphere around him and willed himself to move.

Evening came and Will had found precious little. He had managed to grab another bottle of water or two, also refilling the bottles he drank from. In the way of food, he had managed to find just three cans of soup. As for the money he only found another handful of lien. The search for a weapon to defend himself was fruitless. He still only had his rudimentary wooden spear and a small cooking knife leftover from the house that had not been ransacked.

Soon evening came and the weather took a turn for the worse. As dark clouds loomed over Salut Village, rain began to pour. Will hurried back to his home soaked from head to toe.

That night as the rain poured, lightning flashed and distant thunder rumbled, Will sat at the foot of the bed. He used the knife to shave the wooden spear to an even sharper point. It was rough going as the knife even began to blunt. At the foot of his bed, Will gathered the wood chips and shavings and placed them within a small container he had found. He could use these as tinder since everything would be wet tomorrow.

Once all was finished Will was ready to leave at first light if the weather cleared up by morning. Will began to settle in for the night when he heard the shuffling of movement from outside the second story window in the rain. Will carefully made his way over to the window and slowly opened the curtains giving a little sliver of sight into the street below. It was then that he saw them.

Black as midnight, stalking their way through the ruined buildings. Lightning highlighted their forms as they feasted upon the corpses of the towns previous inhabitants. Will was witnessing a pack of Beowolves make their way through the dark drenched streets. Their red eyes searching hungrily for living prey.

Without making a sound Will slowly moved back from the window. As he carefully stepped through the bedroom the floorboards creaked under his weight, wincing at the sound each time. However, slowly and carefully, Will made his way to the door of the bedroom. He closed the door as silently as he possibly could and with a soft click he now had a small barrier. He then proceeded to lock the latch at the top of the door and finally with his back to the door he quietly slid to the floor.

It was then that Will noticed he was holding his breath. He calmly tried to keep his breathing and emotions under control. He could not let his fear leak out. No matter what. It wouldn't take much for the pack of Beowolves outside to break through this door.

So Will waited, wondering if they could smell his stink, his fear and loneliness. A sudden crashing sound from downstairs and the sound of things being knocked over and disturbed could be heard. He slowly put his ear to the floor and listened as something large and heavy paced through the house. Will once more held his breath as he listened to it begin to ascend the stairs. The stairs creaked under the duress as something hard scraped along the walls.

Will quickly but quietly moved away from the door and placed his spear before him. Its sharp point was the second only to the door that provided him defence against whatever was making its way upstairs. Then as if a monster on the other side was searching for something it came close to the door. A short and almost hollow snort gave from beneath the door. It sniffed at the crack of the door and blew dust into the air. Moments passed when all too sudden a terrible scratching could be heard.

Will held his breath shaking in fright, however, he closed his eyes and pushed that fear deep inside his heart. He gripped his spear tightly ready in case anything made it through his last defence. And as sudden as the scratching started, it stopped. A huff as if the creature on the other side lost interest and made its way back down the hall and then down the stairs.

Will listened intently as he could hear whatever creature he assumed to be a Grimm leave the house. Moments passed and Will exhaled in relief. He moved towards the window as quietly as he could and opened the curtains just ever so slightly. As he peered into the soaked street it was then that he saw his nemeses. The same Beowolf that stalked him constantly all those days ago, it was now pacing down the street. Its blood red eyes searching for him.

Will was beginning to shake, except this time it wasn't fear, but rage. He swore to himself that one day… one day he will kill that monster. The Beowolf’s blood-red eyes turned towards Will as if sensing his malice. Will quickly backed away from the curtain in panic. He waited in bated breath for what seemed like forever.

Soon he began to calm himself when the beast never returned. Will moved towards the bed. He then sat on the bed as if drained of all energy. He laid back and listened in silence to the rain and thunder.

He did not sleep that night.


	4. Leaving Salvation Behind

****

#  **Leaving Salvation Behind**

A week passed in the blink of an eye.

Will had yet to leave the small and desolate settlement. After witnessing the Grimm and its pack search for him, Will did not dare move from the comfort of his new home. He stayed hold up within the small bedroom keeping the curtains closed and the door locked. 

Night after night Grimm came to feast upon the dead and by morning they left. Will did not dare leave, for he did not want to join the dead nor did he want to get lost in that forest while the monsters still hunted him.

The fear of leaving the village and the safety of this room had kept him stuck in a rut. Every day was a mental battle for him, for every time he had the will to leave the thought of having to spend another night in the forest once more chilled him to the bone. 

Coupled with the fact that the weather had been not on his side made him concede all the more reason not to leave. However, each day spent here meant that each day he was getting close to running out of food and not having enough supplies for his journey to Verdant Town.   
  
Before long, Will had to steel his resolve. He checked the time and saw it was still early morning.

_ ‘16th March, 08:15 _ ’

He slowly unlatched the lock and opened the door. As he sneaked out he looked to the other side of the door once more and saw the large gashes that adorned its woodwork. The claws of the monster that hunted him must have been as sharp as razor blades.

Will shuddered as he made his way to the bathroom. After doing his business Will fearfully made his way back to his bedroom after the reminder of what awaited him outside. When he was about to step through the precipice and into his safe space he paused.

It was as if he heard voices. Will shook his head as if he had been hearing things. However, the voices persisted and sounded like they were getting closer. Will rushed to the window of his bedroom and peered out to the street below.   
  
There he saw them, two rough looking men walking side by side. They seemed to be carrying weapons one a knife, the other carried what seemed to be a rusted iron spear. They dressed in a mismatch of clothes, worn and ragged as if it was the only clothes they owned. However, the two men walked the streets laughing among the half-eaten, burnt corpses.   
  
Will was confused but also happy to see people for the first time since coming to this world. As he prepared to rush out and greet them he paused in thought.  _ ‘How could anyone laugh in this situation? Don’t they see the horror around them?’ _ _   
_ __   
It was then that the pieces fell into place. Perhaps he grimly thought, that these were people he didn’t want to meet. After all, it was probably a good chance that these people were bandits. Will clenched his fist. He mulled over the thought of having to introduce himself to the bandits and joining them. However, they were just as likely to kill him and take all his stuff.   
  
Will decided what was best was to gather information, he couldn’t be sure they were bandits but he couldn’t deny the possibility they are. So he left his things behind and made his way downstairs and out of the house. As he peered down the street, the bandits were quite a way up the road already. Will quietly followed them trying his best to keep a low profile.   
  
Will watched as the bandits passed house after house as if heading for a specific location. He followed a ways back not quite hearing what they had to say, but it seemed they were in a jovial mood. As Will crept ever closer he could now hear spatterings of their conversation.   
  
“You heard about our next job? The big one.”   
  
“Already? It was only the last week or so that we ransacked this place. While we didn’t get some Dust we did get some good supplies.”   
  
“I know what you mean. Still, we got some nice girls from this place. Though, they were a little too ‘old’.”   
  
“You have some truly despicable tastes!”   
  


After hearing what they were discussing Will could only feel disgusted. Yeah, these were definitely not people he wanted to associate with. Still, he carried on following hoping to learn anything of use.

  
“So, we are going back to the place?”   
  
“Heh… that sweet little place we kept to ourselves? Don’t worry we are almost there”.   
  
“Shhh, we’ve been holding back on Nero, he’ll have our heads if we ain’t careful.”

“Ahh, Shaddup Alan, Nero ain’t all that. I hear he’s taking orders from some city boy up in Vale. Paid him good lien to get a hold of as much Dust as we can.”   
  
“Shhh, I’m serious. Start bad mouthing Nero and he’ll have us both strung up by our bollocks”.   
  
“Well it’s a good thing he ain’t around then isn’t it?”

While Will listened to their conversation, he couldn’t help but feel he heard something familiar to him. However, this bandit named Nero was definitely not part of anything in the RWBY canon. 

Still, Will followed as the bandits turned a corner down the street. He waited until they got far enough away and once more followed after them. What bothered him was they were heading to someplace familiar. However, as Will and the bandits got closer to the desired destination, Will realized what the bandit had meant by a little place they kept to themselves.   
  
As they neared the home of where Will found his horde of goods, he began to panic. Will realized that the bandits had purposely left the supplies behind so that they could come back at a later date to retrieve them. Now that everything of value was taken, the bandits will know someone had been there and took their stuff.   
  
As the bandits entered the house Will began to backtrack, a moment later sounds of crashing and breaking could be heard from within. The roars of an angry bandit echoed down the streets.   
  
“Who done it! Which fucker took my stuff!”   
  
“Tony calm the fuck down man.”   
  
“Don’t tell me to calm the fuck down! I’ll cut your throat as I did with this bitch here”. The bandit continued. “What? Are you acting all mopey cause I gutted your fancy? You had your turn. Did you enjoy it when you watched me fuck her like an animal? How did it feel when her blood sprayed over your face!? I bet you got off on that every night, right... Alan?”   
  
“Shut the hell up! It wasn’t like that!”   
  
“Kuku, I bet you dreamed of having her all to yourself? All this time you lived in this village and yet you never made a move? You’re weak!”

“Shut the fuck up Tony! I’m ain’t weak! Besides, someone must have been here. A survivor, probably.”   
  
“Fuck, I was looking forward to bartering some of this stuff off. Well, you know this town best. Go find him. Find him and kill him. Then we take all their stuff. Prove you ain’t the weak little rat like I think you are.”

“Chill man, I’ll show you, when I find ‘im, I’ll cut his balls off and feed it to ‘im.”

Will was already moving. He was already panicking looking for any way out. He moved from the side of the house in a rush. He hit the cans of trash and they clattered loudly to the pavement spilling its contents to the floor.

Will winced and then froze in horror. He heard the bandits notice the sound.   
  
“Shit, he’s here! Fucking get him you scrub.”   
  
Will bolted.

He ran down the streets as fast as his legs could carry him. He twisted and turned down the streets hoping that these evasive measures would lose the bandits on his tail. Will ran through a ransacked house, he hid in a closet holding his breath.

His mind raced with thoughts,  _ ‘Oh fuck, I’m dead. I’m so dead.’ _

Suddenly he heard one of the bandits walk through the home. He passed by the closet and went straight outside once more. Will heard him shout, “Tony! I lost him. You check down the other street. I’ll keep an eye out around here!”

Will waited for what seemed like forever. His nerves so on edge he was almost ready to break down and scream. He hated being hunted. Not just by Grimm but by people too. Time passed as Will waited with bated breath. When he couldn’t hear the bandit in the area any longer he began to gather his courage.   
  
_ ‘Alright, gotta get back. Grab my stuff and leave. I can’t stay here any longer.’ _

Eventually having built up enough courage he slowly made his way out of the closet.

Leaving the house he checked for any signs of the bandits in the area. When he was sure no one was around he quickly yet stealthily made his way towards where he was held up. The whole way Will constantly checked over his shoulder. Every sound made him jump out of his skin. When he heard the sound of things being knocked over and broken from a nearby house. He once more ran in panic.

Finally, he reached the house he had been using as his safe space and discovered it untouched. Will sighed in relief. Thankfully the bandits had not discovered where he left his stuff.   
  
Will, quickly got his things together. He had managed to get as many supplies as he could carry, all of it less than a single week's worth of supplies. He looked at the map once more as he set his destination to the river and eventually Verdant Town.

Picking up his knife and makeshift spear he made his way to the front door of the house. When suddenly he came face to face with the bandit holding a rusted iron spear.   
  
Will’s steel-blue eyes met with the bandit’s dark and bloodshot eyes. Will hesitated due to fear and horror. He couldn’t will himself to move yet when the bandit roared Will’s body reacted in an effort to survive.   
  
“I found you! I knew you would lead me to where you hoarded our stuff.”   
  
He lunged towards Will with his spear. Will stepped backwards almost tripping over his feet. He dropped his bags and held the knife and makeshift spear before him. 

“Wait! Wait, stay back. I don’t want any trouble. Please, just let me go. Otherwise, you leave me no choice but to defend myself.”

The bandit smiled sadistically in response.   
  
“Oh? You think you can take me punk? I’ll carve out your eyes with that knife when I’m done with you. Take ‘em as trophies.” He then lunged forward once more.

Will barely had a second to think. He reacted instead. His body moving as if another force was controlling him. Throwing his wooden spear at the bandit. The wild throw missed by a huge margin. It sailed over his head out of the corridor and front door.   
  
The bandit looked over his shoulder and turned back towards Will. An even more sadistic smile graced his pudgy fat face. His bloodshot eyes widened as he roared once more thrusting forward with his rusty iron spear.   
  
Will stepped to the side in reaction, the tip of the spear ripped through his t-shirt and jacket as it glanced past him. He felt a small and sharp pain spread across the muscles of his belly.   
  
Will stepped forward and roared in fury, the need to survive won over the icy claws of fear and the prospect of death. 

Stepping inside the bandits reach as the spear was thrust forward, Will was upon the bandit in a heartbeat. Unable to react quickly with the long shaft of the spear, the bandit let go of his weapon and threw himself at Will.   
  
His grubby and meaty hands grasped for the knife in Will’s clenched fist. Will felt the adrenaline course through his body. They wrestled for control as Will tried to bring the knife down of the bandit's face.

While Will was never really the best fighter. He did know a thing or two. He did take defensive martial arts when he was much younger. But, he never had the drive himself to keep going. The only other times were the occasional drunken fights in clubs and bars when he messed with the wrong person.

Yet, those very same lessons were brought back to the forefront of his mind. Will stepped closer into the bandit's guard by instinct. He placed his foot behind the bandit's leg that was supporting his weight. He let go of the knife with one of his hands to push the bandit over.

The bandit’s eyes widened in shock as Will shoved him. He lost his balance when he tripped on the leg behind him. The bandit came crashing to the floor his hand outstretched. Just before Will could step away, the grubby hand grabbed his t-shirt and pulled him down on top of the fallen bandit.

The knife clattered off to the side as the bandit and Will lost their grip. Will straddling the bandit raised his fist and threw a straight into the bridge of his nose. The bandit’s red nosed flashed in a spray of blood. Will beat upon the bandits face with animalistic fury. Not just punching once but twice and thrice before quickly reaching for the knife that had clattered to the floor.

Grabbing the knife, Will raised it above his head and screamed as he brought the knife down on the bandit's chest. The bandit's face was twisted in despair and shock as the knife penetrated his chest over and over again. Soon his bloodshot eyes no longer registered life.   
  
Will stopped his ceaseless assault, his bloodied hands shook with adrenaline pumping through his veins. He hardly registered the heavy smell of iron. The warm blood that covered his hands had also begun to pool around the still and lifeless body of the bandit.

Will looked towards the bandits face. The face was a picture as if he hadn’t expected to die. Will then stood on shaky legs. He swayed as he felt dizzy and numb. He leant against the wall and slowly made his way over to his bags. He picked them up slinging them over his shoulder. He paused as he was about to step over the bandit's corpse. He looked down at the rusted iron spear that was now lying in a pool of blood.

Will reached down and took the spear in his bloodied hand. He began to feel the stickiness of the blood. The shift from bending to standing again bought a sick feeling to his stomach. He raised a bloodied hand to his mouth in an effort to keep it down. But the smell of blood hit his nose with a stronger scent and that did nothing to stop the torrential flood of Will’s stomach spilling over his hand.

He staggered forward out of the house. In his daze, he then began to run in panic. He could barely think as he made his way towards the gate.

He left the ghost town behind. He ran down the dirt road until he passed the person he first met when he came to this world. Of course, the first person he met happened to be already dead. Then the first living people he saw and now one of them he had to kill himself in defence.

Will’s mind was a mess. He didn’t want to think anymore. He just wanted to run and leave that place behind. To forget the whole thing had happened.

Soon he was surrounded by dense forest. He was so numb with feeling that he didn’t realise he had left Salut Village long ago.

His memory was as clear as the moment he left, replaying the events over and over again. Then it finally hit him. Will had killed someone. A living and breathing person. He stumbled and fell at this thought dropping the rusted spear into the leaves that covered the ground.

_ ‘I-I… Killed someone… I killed a person… Oh, God. Fuck me… What have I done!’ _   
  
On his hands and knees, Will began to have a panic attack. He worked to get his breathing under control as his body rolled onto his side. He brought his knees to his chest and curled up into a fetal position. He cried in despair as he thought about what this world was doing to him.

Eventually, his tears stopped and his breathing became more regular. He had to bring himself out of this state. Less he attracts Grimm to himself. Will sat on his haunches and began to follow his mantra of breathing exercises.   
  
_ ‘Breath in… Breath out… Breath in… and out.’ _

With a calmer heart Will finally got his thoughts in order, ‘ _ I had to defend myself… I had to. Otherwise, I’d be the one who was dead. It isn’t my fault… He left me no choice!’ _ He sniffled at the thought as he wiped his nose and tears with bloodied hands that had long dried. He looked towards his hands and stared at what was the lifeblood of a living person.   
  
He clenched his fists then reached for his bag. He took out a bottle of water and washed his hands. While he thought it was a waste of precious water he couldn’t bear the reminder of what he had done. After using two entire bottles he stared at his now pale white hands. He could still see blood caked beneath his fingernails. The mere thought made him feel sick once more.

Shaking his head he eventually stood to his feet and reached for the blood-caked iron spear. Picking it up the weight felt incredibly heavy in his hands. But he pushed it out of his mind and began walking. Walking as far as he could before the sun set and on towards Verdant Town.

He hoped he would have better luck the next time he met someone. Someone kind, someone willing to help, someone to save him. He could only hope, he couldn’t fall into despair. He had to survive.

Will walked deep into the forest, never looking back towards that now dead place.

Days passed by and Will awoke from his nightmare. His head was beaded with cold sweat still replaying the events of what happened in Salut Village. He had to forcefully calm himself down lest he started to attract Grimm. Several times he awoke to the monster that hounded him because of these nightmares. He climbed down from his perch in the tree and reached into his pocket.

Will switched on his phone and he noted the date and time then sighed, immediately after he switched off the phone.   
  
‘ _ 20th March, 06:37’ _

He sighed heavily once more remarking that the battery was now only seven percent.   
  
During the day he usually didn’t need to use his phone as his late father's watch did the job while there was light. He also used his watch as a rudimentary compass.   
  
By pointing twelve o’clock towards the sun and then bisecting with the hour hand, the halfway point marked north. While Salut Village is in the southern hemisphere of Remnant and without an actual compass, Will had only this means of telling the direction.   
  
Admittedly this was not the most accurate way of telling direction and Will had gotten himself lost more times then he could count. He could not tell if he was any closer to the destination than when he first started.   
  
Nearly a week has passed and now Will was running out of food. The constant pace of walking from sunrise to almost sunset sapped his energy and he needed to eat more than he had thought. Many times the paranoia of being attacked by Grimm forced him to run. Every night spent in the tree’s also sapped at his strength since sleeping was so difficult due to the nightmares.   
  
Some nights he would find he would be awoken from the nightmares only to see a glimpse of the monsters red eyes in the darkness. Other times he could hear it tracking around the area of where he slept. The Beowolf was relentless, but by morning there was no sign it was ever there, to begin with.   
  
The stress of the situation made him paranoid and coldhearted. He also began to talk with himself for not having any meaningful conversation in almost weeks. Still, the instinct to survive was strong and Will ever pushed onward through this vast and verdant forest.   
  
Two more days passed and Will had finally cast aside the last can of soup he had. Water was also running dangerously low. He almost considered having to drink his own urine to keep well hydrated. However, he felt the desperation hadn’t reached those levels just yet.   
  
As the desperation grew so did the loneliness. Will felt he was never any closer to Verdant Town than when he started. He even began to doubt the method of telling the direction with a watch. In his anger, he had ripped at the map and immediately regretted what he did.   
  
That night up in the tree, Will tried to switch on his phone, the phone blinked to life before finally dying just before he could catch the time. He already used the spare power pack in his bag and Will lamented in hopelessness. He didn’t want to use the tablet in his bag, there’d be no point anyway. Will was reduced to no water, no food, he was also a murder and he was also being hunted by a monster that was relentless in its pursuit of him.

Will just wanted to lay down and cry in despair.   
  
He wished he was home back on Earth. He wanted to see his mother and sister. He wished he could have met with that girl he matched on Tinder when he had the chance. The regrets piled upon him as he soon fell asleep from crying and exhaustion.   
  
But predictably the negative emotions drew in the monster that pursued him, Will awoke numb to the fear now, he was used to his nightly visitor when his emotions and dreams usually got the best of him. Regardless he kept quiet watching as the Beowolf sleuthed around the area.   
  
Many times he thought that if he fell from the tree he would plunge the knife deep into the monsters cracked skull-plate mask. He wanted so bad to kill the thing yet the fear of dying while trying would haunt him. So Will watched and waited till the monster gave up its hunt.   
  
When morning came around and the monster left the area Will quickly left his perch in the tree. He spread the torn map amongst the leaves and used his watch to gauge the direction of north.   
  
Having left Salut Village he travelled northwest or he assumed towards the river. The river was large and cut through this forest so he was sure if he kept in the right direction he wouldn’t miss it. However, the many days of travelling made him feel as if that the distances of Remnant are vast. He felt that he could have easily misjudged such distances and still be many days away from Verdant Town.   
  
What was worse was the fact that he had now run out of supplies. Still, he wasn’t going to give up. He at least had to have hope.   
  
Finally late into the morning of the eighteenth day on Remnant Will heard something that caused him to stop in his tracks. Between the soft blowing wind of the branches and leaves, he could hear the soft gushing sound of running water. His hearing sharpened trying to gauge which direction he could hear it from, his eyes searched desperately for the sound that was unmistakably a river.   
  
The sound was close, he rushed with all his might and energy. His thirst was at unbearable levels and so was his hunger but regardless the salvation that came to his ears led him onwards. And it wasn’t a moment later when he stumbled out of the underbrush and onto a pristine pebbly embankment.   
  
What greeted his eyes was a sight to behold, a large freshwater river. The smell and sound were like heaven, he dashed upon the rocks throwing his bags to the side. He then splashed into the water and plunged his head deep into the cold and murky waters.   
  
Will took copious amounts of water into his mouth, drinking gulps of river water. He didn’t care if at that moment he was ingesting deadly bacteria, all he cared for was parching his dry throat and lips.   
  
He threw his head back with a relieved sigh, he felt the river lap at his knees as he thanked the Gods for this salvation.   
  
“Thank you, Thank you!”   
  
Will at that moment finally had found a sliver of happiness, he sat there on his knees dumbstruck with feeling. The thoughts that ran through his head kept him still as he sat there in silence listening to the river flow by.   
  
_ ‘Is this the river? Then that means if I follow this downstream I’ll finally reach Verdant? Am I close? Ah, how many days will it take? What should I do first?’ _ _   
_ __   
Will stood up, he looked into the river and spotted something that made him lick his lips, swimming around his soaked black boots were small silvery fish.   
  
Instantly one word came to Wills mind.   
  
Food.   
  
Will backtracked towards the pebbled embankment towards his bags. What he needed to do first was get out of his wet clothes. So there and then he undressed, setting down his bomber jacket and t-shirt he also removed his jeans, socks and boots before finally laying out his clothes for them to dry. 

Next, he proceeded to put all the electronic devices, his cigarettes and lighters into the waterproof bag of his olive green satchel bag, as he may need to cross the river at some point. Finally, he began to gather dry wood from the forest so that he could have a fire ready when he finished catching some food.   
  
Will with his preparations done then took up his rusty spear and dived into the shallow waters at the river's edge. For now, the first thing he wanted to do was wash himself of his stink and muck. He had become numb to the smell but for sure he smelt ripe.   
  
After a long cold soak, he then proceeded to try spearfishing. He waded along the shallow banks watching for any movement of those silvery fish he spotted earlier. It was still morning so having fish for breakfast didn’t sound too bad to him.   
  
As soon as Will spotted his prey he licked his lips as he wondered how’d they taste. And with the lightning-fast precision, he struck out with his spear.   
  
He missed.   
  
Will knew due to how light is refracted in the water he should aim slightly in front of the fish so that when they escape they’d swim directly into the path of the spear. However, this was a lot harder said than done for Will. Still, with hunger driving him on, he persisted.    
  
It was way late into the day when he finally had managed to snag one. The joy of catching his prey overwhelmed Will, he hurried to his rudimentary campsite and placed the still wriggling fish onto the pebbly embankment far from the river. 

He then ended it quickly with a stone to its skull and the wriggling stopped, the sight of blood caused Will to pause. He didn’t want to think about what happened last week. So Will tried to think in a positive light. Perhaps due to the survival nature, Will felt proud of catching his first meal. With renewed vigour, he went back into the river in an effort to catch more.   
  
He now had three fish. With this, he could probably be sated for today. They may have been small but the energy spent trying to spear them was taxing. So he thought it’d be best to stop here today and cook his food before making his way further down the river and onwards to Verdant Town.   
  
As he set up the fire to cook his fish, he wondered how far aways off the town was. _ ‘A few days? A few hours?’  _ With these new hopes, Will hummed to himself as he sat waiting for his fish to cook.   
  
By the time Will had finished catching and cooking the fish, he had gotten himself dressed. He looked over the smoking fish that had been cooking on a blazing hot rock, he found Remnant fish to be all too similar to Earth’s own fish with its silvery-blue scales, so he wondered how’d they taste.   
  
As the skin began to crackle from the heat the smell was mouthwatering, Will wiped the saliva from his mouth. He then proceeded to sink his teeth into his first proper meal in days.   
  
As his teeth sunk into its crispy skin his mouth flooded with moist meat…and the taste was… horrendously bland, it tasted like an old rubber shoe. Will couldn’t help but hang his head in sorrow when he swallowed. Disappointed with the taste of another worlds fish he still hungrily ate, he almost choked upon the small bones but using water from the river he washed it down.   
  
After eating his fill of the fish, Will decided he’d now smoke, he pulled a cigarette from a half-empty carton and placed the carton into his pocket. Then using the campfire he lit his cigarette and sat in silence listening to his campfire crackle away. The world melted away for Will as he enjoyed his smoke.   
  
As he was doing so he emptied the black backpack he had taken from Salut Village and transferred whatever contents to his satchel bag from Earth. Making sure the electronics and his wallet, the most important things to him where safely stored in the waterproof pouch. He then cast his gaze towards the river. He wondered if he should find a shallow crossing if the town was on the other side.   
  
As he was thinking this, suddenly a sound from the forest's edge gathered his attention. Will had almost forgotten about the dangers of this world and now out in the open with nowhere to go he was paying that price for relaxing.   
  
Will’s nemeses appeared.   
  
Slinking out of the foliage with its hulking frame, its pitch-black fur, pale bone-white growths, piercing blood-red eyes and cracked bone-white faceplate. The monster waded into the clearing intent on finding its prey.   
  
Will’s eyes grew wide with fear, he began to shake with fright and its icy claws rooted him to where he sat. Wills blood ran cold when the piercing red eyes of the Beowolf fell on him. The fact was, on the one hand facing a human was something recognisable. Will knew the threat. It was probably why his body could appropriately act against the bandit. A human foe.

Yet, facing the monster in front of him. There was nothing his body knew how to react too. Will came from a time and a place where human beings were the alpha predators. Now he was staring down that same concept right in its face. As a human but no longer the hunter but the prey.   
  
It was too late to run and hide now, the Beowolf’s sight was trained on him, all he could do now was perhaps fight for his life. Still, he shakily went to grab for his rusted spear, he placed the bag hastily around his shoulder getting tied up in the process. The panic of seeing the monster before him frazzled his brain.   
  
_ ‘Fuck! What the hell do I do! Shit, shit, shit!’ _ _   
_ __   
The fear from the first night was dulled as now Will could clearly see the Beowolf in front of him. The fact of facing death ever since coming to Remnant had also hardened his resolve. The daylight of the midday sun clearly did not bother the creature. Now that Will had almost reached his destination, he was forced to confront the monster before him.   
  
The Beowolf began to draw closer. Will was still gripped in the icy claws of fear. He was holding the spear in front of him like some sort of deterrent for the dark beast. However, the monster pushed ever forward undeterred.   
  
The fear had begun to pump copious amounts of adrenaline into Will’s body. His fight and flight instinct kicked in yet all he could do was step back as the Beowolf drew ever closer. Step by agonising step Will’s death drew closer. It was a second later when Will heard splashing as the monster had pushed him towards the river. However, the dark and hungry beast pushed forward with its red eyes narrowed and its salivating maw.   
  
Now with Will up to his knees into the river the Beowolf was ten feet from him. It crouched low like that of a wolf, with its midnight black fur raised on end. It growled as its huge white claws splashed into the river.   
  
Will thrust forward with the spear shouting in fear. “Stay back! back!”   
  
The Beowolf flinched under the words as the spear thrust forward but still did not reach. However, it still continued unabated pushing Will further back till he was up to his waist in the cold river water.   
  
Will had two choices, he either would dive into the river and hope to make it across the other side. He would risk being open to attack or drown if the river had deadly currents. Or he could stand and fight, hopefully overcoming the monster in front of him.   
  
Will’s eyes focused intently upon the cracked bone-white faceplate of the Beowolf. The Beowolf’s soulless red eyes gazed into Will’s steel-blue eyes. The tension was palpable as the two faced each other within the river. One single move that would decide their fates.   
  
Will’s eyes could not help but break away from the contact, as soon as his eyes left the Beowolf to gauge the distance to the other side of the river it attacked.   
  
With a hollow and guttural howl, the monster leapt with gnashing teeth towards Will’s throat, the razor sharp claws and wild strength descended on Will as fast as lightning.   
  
Will screamed in horror as adrenaline flooded his veins, he thrust the spear forward hoping to ward off the hungry black beast. His eyes closed waiting for death when he felt something hard connect with the spears tip and give way to something soft. Will peeked an eye just in time to see the rusted spear had penetrated through the Beowolves hide and chest cavity.

However, the monster still was in the throes of its attack.   
  
The extreme weight and wild strength pushed Will backwards. The Beowolf reacted in pain and anger as Will witnessed the sharp and deadly claws descend upon him.   
  
Will lent back as far as his body would allow. However, as if in slow motion the claws ripped through Will’s t-shirt like paper.   
  
The pain was unbelievable, Will had never felt anything like this in all his years of life. Nerve endings that were never meant to be exposed flashed white-hot like fire. Will screamed as the spear was ripped from his grip and he was flung backwards from the force of the wild slash.   
  
He was flung further into the deep waters to which he plunged under. The breath was ripped from him and murky river water filled his mouth and lungs. Will could not get a good grip on the river bed so he kicked with all his might in panic.   
  
A second later he broke the surface spitting water. He tried to take a laboured breath however the pain caused him to cut short and once again he plunged deep into the murky depths.   
  
Will kicked once more towards the surface. When he finally broke once more, he breathed a lungful of fresh air. His blurry eyes could just make out the hulking black frame of the Beowolf further up the river, dragging itself out. Will’s eyes flared in anger as the thing clearly had the energy to move about, even with the rusted spear sticking through its chest cavity it spoke of the resilience of Grimm.   
  
Will was about to curse the monster when he was suddenly dragged under again by the river's current. He was carried further and further from the place he was attacked. And with all his strength he tried to swim towards the embankment. However, with his satchel bag tying up his arm he could not move as freely as he liked.   
  
The current was strong and he struggled to keep up with kicking his legs, he was pulled beneath the murky water more frequently as his stamina began to give out. When he tried to move his arms the pain of his chest ripped the breath from out of him, the scream of pain would be silenced by water, so Will struggled to keep himself afloat as the river began to get rougher and more turbulent.   
  
When Will broke the surface once more, up ahead he could see the river begin to turn into rapids. The situation was dire so Will fought to keep himself from the deadly maelstrom. However, the power of nature had overcome Will’s strength when he fell into the rapids deadly current.   
  
Will’s body tumbled and rolled into rocks. He was dragged undercutting him from oxygen, his body was battered and bruised. As Will’s body hit an outcropping of rocks, the wound on Will’s chest forced him to expel all the precious oxygen in his lungs and when he tried to regain it, it was filled with murky river water in its place.   
  
Will struggled as his vision began to turn hazy, the darkness surrounded him. He rolled once more along the bottom of the river when something hard crashed into his head.

It was then that Will suddenly blacked out.


	5. Chapter 4 - The Verdant Wolf

#  **The Verdant Wolf**

“Lupa… Lupa! Come on, dinner's almost ready!”  
  
Lupa heard the voice of her father call her from her deep slumber. Her furry wolf ears twitched as the rough voice of her father shouted ever louder. With her Faunus heritage, her sharp nose began to pick up the scent of cooking fish for dinner.

“Lupa! Now!” called the burly voice with a hint of irritation.  
  
Lupa lazily got up from the sofa and began to stretch her youthful and supple body. Her captain and mentor always informed her to keep her body in top shape. She found a single day without exercising would dull her reflexes and her Aura when she really needed to use it.   
  
After a long day of practice working through her combat styles. Lupa also trained in applying her Aura into stable defensive barriers or channelling it through her muscles and bones to enhance her body. She had then fallen asleep in the middle of her meditation due to the effort she was putting in. Her belly rumbled quietly, reminding her it was late and she needed food to regain her energy.

  
She shook herself down to get the blood flowing and observed her state of dress. Her tight white vest clung to her large bust and slim body, her khaki coloured shorts wrinkled from when she slept. She pulled up her white thigh-high socks and went towards the kitchen.   
  
Before she made it past the door of the hallway, she spotted herself in the mirror. Looking herself over, her long tawny and brunette hair was frazzled from where she rested her head. Her hazel eyes stared at her youthful petite face, cute button nose and her glossy pink lips. She blushed as she tousled her hair and smoothed out the fur of her wolf-like ears.   
  
“Lupa! Have you seen your brother?”   
  
Lupa snapped out of her state of vainess and stepped towards the kitchen. Her eyes settled on the broad and large imposing figure of her father. His pointed wolf ears upon his head twitched as she entered.   


Lupa finally answered her father in a huff. “I haven’t seen Logan since this afternoon. Isn’t he still out playing with his friends?”  
  
“I see, can you go find him? You should use your semblance. You may get home before dinner gets cold.”   
  
With an exasperated sigh, Lupa turned towards the hallway and front door, “Fine, I’ll go find the little whelp”.   
  
Lupa checked herself over. Brushing her fingers through her hair, she went and grabbed for a forest green jacket. She then slipped on comfortable brown military boots and opened the door. She dashed out slamming the door shut for good measure. She could hear her father shout as she smiled cheekily.   
  
“Don’t slam the doors!”   
  
Regardless Lupa ran towards the main square, the usual location where her brother played with his friends

Running through the streets her hazel eyes wandered about the crowds. Humans and Faunus mingled together within the small mining and logging town, going about their daily lives without a care in the world. Although racism against her kind was still a problem, this town with its small community was better than most places she heard about from the travelling merchants who visited the small community town.  
  
She passed smiling merchants peddling their wares from their travels across Sanus, customers receiving those wares with similar smiles. She also passed some of her friends in the town guard that kept this small community town safe.   
  
Lupa dashed and a voice caught her mid-stride. she stopped and spun her head to the young man's voice.   
  
“Lupa! Where are you heading off too?”   
  
Lupa’s eye’s met with the young male guardsmen, his hair dark brown and dark sunken eyes look tired as he hungrily appraised Lupa’s body.   
  
Lupa huffed and replied, “I’m off to find my brother, you haven’t seen the little whelp have you?”   
  
The male guard paused raising his hand to the scruff on his chin, he momentarily considered the question before waving his hand, “No, sorry, I haven’t seen him around.” After a brief pause, he continued, “Have you checked the main square, by the fountain?”   
  
Lupa’s eyes narrowed evilly, a sly grin graced her soft pink lips revealing a pearly white fang as she spoke, “Heading there now, If I find him I’m going to beat him to a pulp.”   
  
The guard shivered, he let a little nervous laughter leak from his lips, “Haha, don’t be too hard on him. He’s only a kid.”   
  
Lupa stood straight and folded her arms beneath her ample bust. She then complained to her colleague, “Maybe, still it’s my day off and I wanted to relax a little more.”   
  
The guard nodded, “oh? That's right, when will you be back? The guys and Captain miss you terribly.”   
  
Lupa smiled cheekily once more and in a voice of confidence replied, “Fufu, I’m sure everyone can survive a few more days without me.”   
  
The guard lightly blushed in response and then quietly uttered in a sheepish manner, “yeah, we miss our town’s Goddess.”   
  
Lupa’s eyes narrowed, “You’re not building up to ask me out again are you?”   
  
The guard blushed a deeper shade of red, his ears tinged pink in embarrassment before he spoke louder than before, “N-no of course not, don’t think I could handle another rejection like that. Besides, the guys would give me hell for weeks. Can’t have anyone getting ahead”.   
  
Lupa laughed at the young man’s expense, “Fufu, of course, you are a good _friend”._ Stressing the last word of her sentence.

The young guardsmen tried to pass it off with a handwave, “Though it’s your Semblance we miss the most. The Grimm have been more active as of late.”

Lupa’s brow creased at the mention of Grimm, she experienced enough of their terror during her routine patrols. Before she could say anything. The guard turned his back to Lupa. He began to return to his assigned patrol, his parting words calling through the crowd, “Make sure to give your little bro my regards, your old man too.”  
  
Lupa turned and called, “Will do, see ya!” and with that, she took off running once more.   
  
She began to activate her Aura, the warmth enveloping her and electricity coursed through her veins. She sent it through her legs, stimulating the muscles and pushing them to greater lengths. She dashed through side streets at speeds unattainable to those without their Aura unlocked. Her long brunette hair waved in the air.

Passing onto the main thoroughfare she slowed her pace and weaved between the lively market stalls. She arrived at the main square and fountain in record time, a habit she picked up testing the limits of her Auric application. Her thoughts went to her father, probably already serving dinner and waiting for them both.  
  
Searching through the individual people would take too long. She activated her Semblance, her eyes closing and senses sharpening. Her Aura was consumed as her Semblance thrummed in intensity. Opening her eyes lights and colours flared up within her vision. Her nose began to pick up the unique scents of each person's colour.

  
Her Semblance allowed her to perceive the very life forces of a person, she assumed what she was seeing was the very soul itself. The lights, shapes and colours would change in luminosity and intensity depending on the individual. A human would have smooth and almost uniform shapes. While that of a Faunus would have wild and vibrant colours that expressed their souls.   
  
Searching for her brother's particular glow and smell, she scanned the crowds of people. She picked up the familiar trailing lights and scents of his friends. However, only two were absent, her brother and his best friend.   
  
Lupa strode forward through the crowd towards the monument and fountain at the centre of the towns square. There, playing in the water, where her brother's friends.   
  
The young girls and boys were kicking and screaming while splashing water onto each other. The children spotted Lupa and were rooted to the spot like a wolf's prey gripped in the icy claws of fear. Lupa strode towards the fountain with a wolf's smile.   
  
She began to interrogate her prey, “Hey, you brats, seen my brother around?”   
  
The kids turned to each other with childish beaming smiles plastered on their faces. They assaulted Lupa, the collective group with their wet hands grasping, hoping to pull her into the water.

They shouted in unison, “Big sister Lupa!”  
  
Given Lupa’s athletic ability she easily dodged the excitable group. Jumping away from the group and backflipping onto the wall of the fountain, she landed with the grace of an expert acrobat. She laced her tone with a more threatening gesture, “Did you hear me? I said where is the whelp I call my little brother?”   
  
The kid's innocence and naivety never picked up on Lupa lacing her tone with a threat. But they did give up on trying to catch her. They sunk into silent thought before a young deer Faunus girl answered in a cheery voice, “Logan went out to play with Billy down by the river, they said they were going to play Huntsmen.”   
  
Lupa pinching the bridge of her nose sighed heavily. She cringed at her brother's stupidity. She whispered under her breath, “That dumb little shit, I told him not to play outside the gate.”   
  
Lupa looked towards the Faunus girl and patted the top of her head, “Thanks Doe”.   
  
She took off towards the guard house at the end of the main square. Lupa paused at the large oak double doors, bracing her nerves at the oncoming scene at her arrival. She threw them open and marched through trying to get in and out as quickly as possible.   
  
The sudden intrusion caused all the guards of the village on their break to glance over towards the doors. All eyes followed Lupa in silence. Suddenly, the drop of a spoon from a guard eating his soup roused them.   
  
“Our Goddess has returned!” They shouted in unison.   
  
The majority of males made up the town guard, and their stupidity was matched only by their vigour. They laughed and cheered with joy as Lupa’s face began to turn crimson from embarrassment. The remaining female guardsmen gave Lupa a look of sympathy as she passed by.   
  
Lupa marched quickly to the armoury, she stepped into the room and immediately went to her locker. She punched in the security code, opened it, and grabbed for the contents inside. She paused as she stared at her uniform.   
  
A lightly armoured bland grey and white jacket. It also sported a Schnee Dust Company logo on its back with the words security written beneath. The uniform was cheaply made as to be expected from the company that funded the mining and logging town. What annoyed her most was given that they were charged with defending this town and its Dust shipments, the quality of weaponry and equipment was woefully outdated and cheap.   
  
Lupa then pushed aside her uniform and went to look for her weaponry. Her eyes glanced over her dual partners, a gift from the Captain the day her Aura was unlocked and she officially enrolled in the townguard.

She and the Captain were of only three in town with high quality, Huntsmen certified weaponry. The rest of the townguard had to make do with rusty old spears, swords, defective pistols and rifles around since the town was built. The only other person in town who owned this quality of weaponry was an ex-Beacon student, the town's librarian.

  
Looking over her weapons, she checked for wear and tear. She then proceeded to remark at their gorgeous design. However, she knew very well that they packed a mean punch. Her hazel eyes rested upon the two long-barreled pistols, each sporting a wicked bladed axe at each end. The metal was forged from Aura treated titanium with an Auric Conductive Rating of Grade C.   
  
The wooden handles and frame of the weapon were hewn from the ancient oaks that surrounded the town. The deep grains spoke of a long life absorbing the elements from the Dust veins that lay deep beneath the ground. The wooden materials raised the Auric Conductive Rating up to a Grade B, as things made from living materials proved best when channelling Aura, thus coupled with the treated titanium also made it very compatible with Dust based ammunition.   
  
The handles made of oak were angled in such a way that when held, it would feel as if she were holding a hand axe, Just like that of the timber cutters that lived in the small town. The trigger mechanism was simple yet sported intricate flowing engravings of gold. The head of the axes at the end of each of the barrels was also engraved in a golden motif. They gave the image of wolf heads, harkening to her heritage as a wolf Faunus.   
  
The final Auric Conductive Rating was finally raised to a Grade A, as gold was the best metal used to conduct Aura outside of aurillium. Gold and silver was best because of their pure nature and were much easier to come by than aurillium due to its process to find and refine.

The Auric Conductive Rating of Grade S was the highest it could go in terms of ease for channelling Aura through a weapon. The ACR for short as it’s known as is the standard of which all weapon manufacturers adhered to when making Huntsmen certified weaponry.  
  
When she first got them as a gift, there was only one name she could give them, she called her partners.

The Timberwolves.

Lupa thought on her dream of becoming a Huntress like that of her late mother and Captain before he retired. She went through the motions of preparing her gear as she calculated her pay. As much as she saved she still found the pay to be woefully inadequate. However, since she turned seventeen and joined the town guard officially, she had almost saved enough for tuition at Beacon Academy. Soon she’d enrol to take the entrance exam in the summer or autumn.   
  
She equipped herself with the Timberwolves in a practised manner, placing a spare set of silver daggers into the sheaths strapped to her thighs, and pulling up her thigh-high socks back to where they rested. She then shut her locker and made her way back to the dining hall where the rest of the townguard were taking their break before the next shift that evening.

Suddenly, a large and imposing figure blocked her escape. His height of seven feet dwarfed Lupa’s diminutive size of only five feet seven. His burly and callused filled hand blocked the gap between his side and the door.  
  
Lupa looked up towards her mentor and Captain with impatience. His rusty-red hair was slicked back. His sea-blue eyes were full of life in contrast against they crows feet at its corners. They spoke of a long life full of the things he’d seen and experienced as a Huntsmen before his retirement to the position as this town's captain of the guard.   
  
His deep and gruff voice spoke with an air of command, “And where do you think you’re going? Little miss apprentice.”   
  
Lupa huffed in annoyance, before speaking back towards the large imposing human with vigour, “Captain Bayard, sir, I need to fetch my little brother. He seems to have wandered out of the main gate to play.”   
  
“I see, I’ll have to reprimand the watchmen for neglecting their duties. But things should be safe for the time being.” The Captain then continued. “Though Grimm activity in the area has been increasing as of late. I just got back from clearing a pack of Beowolves further south. They seem to be heading in this direction.”   
  
Lupa nodded, “Thanks for the heads up sir, I’ll make sure to keep you posted if I discover any more packs in the area with my Semblance.”   
  
“Well then, carry on, but one more thing before I let you go.” Bayard paused for dramatic effect.   
  
Lupa could feel the trepidation in the air as the whole guardhouse was listening in to their conversation.

Bayard continued, “When will you be coming back on the job?”  
  
She could feel the eyes of all the guardsmen bore into her back. They waited in bated breath as their ears hung on every word. Lupa sighed heavily preparing her nerves for the oncoming scene she was going to make.   
  
She spoke quietly at first, “I’ll be back in three days.”

Bayard leaned closer holding his hand to his ear.  
  
Lupa huffed and louder proclaimed, “I’ll be back to work in three days, sir!”.   
  
The entire guard house erupted in disappointment, the old veterans, as well as some of the younger recruits, lamented in sadness and despair. They cried out like that of the end of the world was near.   
  
“No~! The Goddess has forsaken us!”   
  
“It’s the end of Remnant as we know it!”   
  
“I just want to stay in bed for the next three days!”

“Why? Oh Gods, Why!?”

“Lupa! Marry me!”  
  
One after the other they all lamented in sadness, while Lupa cringed from embarrassment and her mentor smiled while pinching the bridge of his fat nose that looked to had been broken many times, “Ah yes, now I remember. I gave you some time off didn’t I? Hope you’ve been keeping your training up?”   
  
Lupa stared with contempt towards the grizzled captain. Finally, she sighed defeated as she knew, he knew that this sort of reaction would occur.

Lupa could only think, ‘ _Popularity isn’t always fun_ ’.   
  
A beat later Lupa spoke, “Yes sir, I better get going before my little brother gets eaten by an Ursa.”   
  
Captain Bayard smiled and let Lupa on by. She ran leaving the embarrassing scene behind her.   
  
She knew the guardsmen of the town were having their little joke. But, they meant it endearingly. For many times she has saved this small mining and logging community and gained the love and adoration of her peers and seniors. Even if it came with the cost of being the town idol. Just as her mother was.   
  
As Lupa rounded the main gate, she called up to the watchmen up top. They sat there smoking and playing cards. She let them know she was heading out as they both waved a lazy hand not noticing she was already through the gate.   
  
Lupa felt a thrum consume her Aura as she activated her Semblance. She thought darkly, ‘ _When I find that little shit, I’m going to kill him myself!_ ’   
  
Soon her field of vision began to settle as her sixth sense opened up to her, she looked towards the trailing cyan light of her brother and followed his scent. She could feel the two boys presence down by the embankment of the river just where she thought they would be. Not far but a little ways from the town.   
  
As she activated her Aura and pumped its energies into her legs. She took off kicking up dirt as she ran. The distance covered in this full-on sprint would barely take her any time at all.   
  
She came upon the embankment a short while later. There she could see her younger brother with his best friend. She slowed down and quietly hid her presence using the terrain to her advantage. She used her Semblance to check for any Grimm in the area.

She spotted a pack of Beowolves moving in from the south. They would be on her and her brother in a few minutes. However, she confirmed there was nothing in the immediate vicinity and decided to play a prank on her little brother. Lupa quickly moved into position behind the playing children.  
  
Watching her little brother who held onto a gnarled stick. He shouted towards his friend in heroic but childish vigour, “I will slay you monster! Prepare to die!”   
  
The young human boy that must’ve played the part of a Grimm began to act like a feral imitation of a Beowolf. Growling and howling back towards Logan playing the part of the Huntsmen.   
  
Lupa’s little brother swung his gnarled stick with trained vigour, the kid really did want to become a Huntsmen. Every day he would swing his stick, training himself for a future where he could follow his sister who was preparing to become a Huntress-in-training. And, his late mother who died heroically as a Huntress. But, at the age of ten Logan was a long way off.   
  
She sneaked behind Logan as he was busy chasing his friend. With his attention turned to playing, Lupa easily got into his blind spot. She glided across the pebbly embankment in such grace and stealth it was like she didn’t even disturb the ground, all the while her little brother kept his back to her.   
  
She closed the distance as Billy turned towards Logan. A look of sheer horror crossed his face as Lupa loomed over Logan from behind.

Billy’s eyes went wide in fear as Logan began to worriedly notice, “Bill, what’s wrong?” he asked in confused question.  
  
A pebble from underneath Lupa’s foot slipped, causing barely enough noise for Logan’s little wolf ears to twitch. Logan screamed shrilly like a little girl as he swung his stick with all his might towards Lupa who stood behind him. The swing did not harbour any of the trained vigour from earlier and was off-kilter. Regardless Lupa grabbed out towards the wayward slash and easily caught the stick in a steel grip.   
  
The look on Logan’s childish pudgy face was priceless, just the right mix of horror and surprise. Lupa gave an evil sly grin as she accentuated each word, “You. Are. Dead. Whelp.”   
  
Logan’s voice raised an octave higher than usual as he panicked and stuttered, “Lupa! I-I’m sorry, please don’t tell dad I was out here, p-please! I’ll do anything!”   
  
Lupa huffing in frustration told her little brother, “Logan, how many times have I told you, leaving the town walls is dangerous, what would you have done if you had been attacked by Grimm?”   
  
Logan sunk into silence, carefully choosing his words. He then spoke with a triumphant smile, “Of course I’d defeat them as sis would!”   
  
Lupa retorted, “No, _you_ would have been killed, you're just ten years old and you don’t even have your Aura unlocked!”

Logan shrunk back at Lupa’s harsh words but still, he persisted, “I’m sorry big sis, please don’t tell dad, I’m begging you! I’ll never do it again. I promise!”  
  
She mulled over her thoughts as her little brother clung to her leg begging, ‘ _Letting him off is dangerous, too dangerous. If I arrived any later those Beowolves would have a full belly by now. No, he needs to learn his lesson. Better for him in the long run._ ’   
  
Lupa then lied to her brother putting on a soft smile to ease his concern. She knew sending him off with knowledge of an approaching pack of Beowolves would just accentuate negative emotions. Therefore drawing the Grimm to him and his friend. “Fine, I won’t tell dad. If you go home right now because dinner is ready.”   
  
Logan breathing a sigh of relief smiled and hugged his sister's waist, “Thank you, big sis, you are the best!” He then continued, “c’mon Bill, we gotta get back! I’ll race ya!”   
  
Lupa felt a little guilty about lying to him. But, she knew it was for the best. He may hate her today… But, at least he’ll live and learn a lesson. She called after him as she watched him and his friend run towards the settlement, “Go straight home! Don’t mess about! Otherwise, the Grimm might get ya!”   
  
The little Faunus boy ran off shouting in a playful manner as if his scolding wasn’t taken to heart. Lupa knew that she was making the right choice. She was then left alone with her thoughts. She looked towards the sky and into the clouds that drifted lazily in the cool spring air. Her nose picked up the scents of the forest and river in her vicinity. She inhaled a lungful of crisp spring air centring and preparing herself.

The sharp senses of being a Faunus were a great boon, her sense of smell and hearing, even her eyesight was far superior to that of a human. She took in all the senses she could, adding to that the constant presence of her Aura which acted as another sixth sense. Then on top of that, the thrum her own Semblance that perceived a world just for herself.  
  
She activated her Semblance expanding her senses to include the wildlife around her in search of Grimm. They appeared as dark void like shapes among the throng of lights that showed those who possessed a soul.   
  
They were closer now. The pack of nine Beowolves had shifted in direction towards the river. Something had gained their attention. What could have attracted their ire Lupa did not know. She would have to investigate later.   
  
As she made sure with her Semblance that the pack was not heading towards her brother. Lupa began to survey her equipment and weapons. She loaded her Timberwolves with the green tipped Dust ammunition. A wind-based Dust type that would not cause environmental damage like that of Burn or Electric based Dust.   
  
She placed her partners at her side and began to focus. She brought forth her Aura, channelling into a form of which she can use. She stretched its energies along her skin and clothing as a barrier to ward off damage. As she felt the Auric energies envelop her body. The hair on her skin rose up on end. She felt the warmth as goose-pimples graced her soft porcelain-like skin.   
  
Just as she finished her preparations the Bewolves slinked out of the forestry. Their glowing blood-red eyes were trained on a spot further up river. As if they didn’t even notice Lupa standing before them.

Lupa kicked a pebble in their direction. Suddenly their attention snapped towards her.  
  
Lupa smiled at her prey. She raised her partners at her side and faced down the beasts in a combative stance. She placed her axe-guns before her. Raising her left to out in front of her, while raising the right weapon above her head in a dual wielded stance. Lupa shifted her right foot forward and launched herself at the pack.   
  
The air pressure shifted as she applied Aura to her legs. She shot off like that of a rocket towards the pack of Beowolves.

The creatures made of darkness couldn’t even react to her speed.  
  
Lupa spun with centrifugal force as her left partner slammed into the jaw of the first Beowolf. Her right arm came down hard into the skull-plate mask of the next dark beast. Both went down in a flash. She spun once more aided by the centrifugal force and jumped with a roundhouse kick.   
  
A Beowolf lunged in that fraction of a moment.   
  
Lupa’s auric enhanced kick connected with the large frame of the Beowolf sending it crashing into the river. She landed in all the grace of an expert martial artist and back stepped to put some distance between the rest of the pack.   
  
She counted six more foes before her. Three that needed her most attention. One more that had still yet to expire as it flailed within the current of the river. Another three had still yet to move into an advantageous position. She once more took up her combative stance. A special style developed by her mentor for allowing her to use spinning motions to apply more power to her swings.   
  
The first three Beowolves fell on her. Jaws and claws of dark fury descended in animalistic vigour. Lupa shifted in between two of her foes mid-lunge. She aimed with her axe-guns between them and pulled the triggers.   
  
What followed was a soft and dull thud. As if quietened by the aid of the wind elements in the Dust. The two Beowolves fell in a heap. As soon as they hit the floor they were bisected into two halves. Lupa spun away from the gore as the next Beowolf fell upon her. She crossed her Timberwolves in a guarded fashion as sharp claws descended from above. She easily blocked the terrifying blow that would fell any person without Aura.   
  
Lupa’s glossy pink lips stretched as a cheeky white fang was exposed. She drew her leg back and once more enhanced her muscles with her Aura. She lashed forward with a kick between the legs of the Beowolf.   
  
The force of the kick lifted the Beowolf of the ground for a single moment collapsing its balance. It fell forward as Lupa once more spun to its right and placed the barrel of her axe-gun towards its head. She once more mercilessly pulled the trigger ending the unfortunate beast and black ichor sprayed the pebbly embankment.   
  
One more a Beowolf came into her range as she lazily swatted with her left partner. Its jaw was ripped from its face and the hulking black frame fell at her feet. Lupa stepped over the now defusing miasmic substance that was once a Grimm and stared down the last two Beowolves.   
  
The creatures growled and gnashed in anger unperturbed at their fallen pack-mate. They then set upon Lupa in blind and animalistic fury.   
  
Lupa ducked under the wild slash from the first Beowolf’s claws that reached her. She lazily dragged her Timberwolf from beneath the Grimm’s torso as the black ichor leaked out. The second dived at Lupa with its jaws wide hoping to fill its hungry maw with soft porcelain flesh.   
  
Lupa turned inwards and sidestepped out of the path of the beasts lunge. It fell forward and crashed hard to the ground momentarily dazing itself.

Lupa placed a boot onto its back and buried her axe-gun into the back of its skull. She pulled the trigger once more spraying more black ichor onto the embankment.  
  
As the miasmic substance leaked out of the wound it blinded Lupa for a brief moment. She waved the concentrated negative substance away from her face, her wolf-like ears caught the sound of something shifting towards her.   
  
Suddenly, through the dark smoke-like substance, glowing red eyes and wicked sharp teeth bore down on Lupa. She brought up her guard just in time to ward away the gnashing teeth. The weight pushed her back as she collapsed to the pebbly embankment. She rolled back as she once more placed a boot to the chest of the soaked Beowolf.   
  
She cursed herself for her momentary lapse of judgment of not making sure she had put that Beowolf out for good. She pumped Aura through her muscles in an effort to keep the soaked dark and hungry beast at bay.

As the terrifying weight and wild strength inched closer, Lupa smiled with a predatory glare.  
  
The 'click' of her trigger and the soft 'thud' of a silenced weapon resounded. The Beowolf stopped in its tracks as the bottom half of its torso fell away.

Lupa kicked off the now decaying corpse.  
  
Lupa stood to her feet and sighed roughly. She and holstered her weapons and began to brush herself down of any dust or dirt. She moved onto straightening out her hair with her fingers and finally took a relaxed look around her environment, making sure that she could see no more Grimm in the area.   
  
She huffed once and decided she’d do one more check for Grimm before heading back home.   
  
Lupa reactivated her Semblance as she pushed it to its extremes. She felt the thrum of her Semblance intensify as more of her Aura was consumed to expand its range.

It was then that she could sense a particularly large Alpha Beowolf at the very edge of her Semblance’s range. It was far up the river. But, it was of no concern to her, as it seemed to be lame or injured.  
  
It was when she began to walk back towards the settlement that she noticed something appeared in the peripheral of her Semblances range. A presence of steel-blue light so bright and large it drowned out any life in its vicinity. It was as if she was staring at a blue sun, the light drifted towards her along the river's current.   
  
She couldn’t tell what sort of thing the light was. It was unlike neither human nor Faunus as she was used to their life forces.

Deactivating her Semblance, her vision cleared. She could see exactly what was in the river. The body was that of a young male human. It drifted lifelessly in the river's current. Lupa came to her senses and kicked into action. She felt that she just had to save him, no matter what.

Lupa then dived into the river's current.  
  
The cold and murky water of the Verdant river in which the town was named after immediately hit her. It pulled the breath from her lungs yet, she easily regained control of her reflexes. As the heat was sucked from her core she swam towards the lifeless body.   
  
Her hand outstretched. Reaching for purchase, caught hold of the collar of his jacket. She felt the weight shift as she pulled the lifeless body from the current. She embraced the man swimming back towards the embankment.   
  
Pulling him ashore she noticed the olive green satchel bag that had wrapped around his limp arm. She removed it quickly throwing it aside with a wet and heavy clunk. She had no time to be worried about if anything had broken. She then rolled the lifeless body onto his back and it was then that she saw his face.   
  
The face was young, perhaps only a few years older than herself who was seventeen. His dirty-blonde hair was darkened by the river's water which had matted to his face. A stubble was prominent on his square jaw that looked as if it hadn’t been shaved in weeks. Thinset lips and a prominent noble nose featured his face. While he wasn’t too handsome. He definitely wasn’t ugly either. Rather, he was attractive to Lupa because she thought he had an almost charming plainness to him.   
  
Lupa looked over the rest of his form and noted the brown leather jacket that was soaked to the core. It was then that she noticed the blood. It had dyed his white t-shirt crimson to pink. She also noticed the incredibly large gashes that raked across his broad chest.   
  
With worry, she pressed her wolf ears with their sharp hearing upon his chest. She listened intently for the sound of a beating heart. When she couldn’t hear either breathing or the telltale beat of life she panicked. She was inexperienced with CPR but she had to do what she could.   
  
She couldn’t worry about the wound on his chest. She had to proceed to go through the motions and beat upon his frame.

Lupa began her life-saving measures on the drowned man.


End file.
